The big moves continue late into the night as ESPN’s Adam Schefter announces that the Chargers have released veteran outside linebacker Joey Bosa. Diana Russini of The Athletic reports that the other teams around the league had been informed of the coming transaction in the last few days. Bosa was the last player remaining from the franchise’s days in San Diego. 
While the front office would surely rather have kept Bosa or gotten something in return for the five-time Pro Bowler, the untenable financial commitment going into the final year of his contract made Bosa a prime cut candidate. Bosa was attached to a massive $36.47MM cap hit next season, the highest at his position. The team will save $25.36MM by cutting the veteran, an option that was far too enticing to let pass, even with the Chargers armed with the sixth-most effective cap space in the NFL for next season.
By cutting him, the team avoids paying the $12.36MM roster bonus that was due to Bosa next Wednesday. This deadline was created by Bosa’s team as part of a restructure performed last year. The favorable terms for Bosa forced the team to make a decision before the start of free agency, giving him plenty of time to make the most of his value on the open market.
The former No. 3 overall pick of the 2016 draft class, Bosa has always been a forced to be reckoned with whenever he’s on the field. Following his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign, Bosa made the Pro Bowl in every year in which he appeared in double-digit games. Reaching double-digit games has been the issue, though, as he has only played 107 of a possible 148 games in his career due to injuries. This includes the past three years. Despite appearing in 14 games this season, Bosa missed 20 games in 2022 and 2023 combined.
With Khalil Mack also headed to free agency following the expiration of his contract, the Chargers may need to be looking at a pass rusher in the draft and free agency. Former second-round pick Tuli Tuipulotu delivered a team-leading 8.5 sacks in his sophomore campaign this year, and veteran Bud Dupree tied with Mack for second on the team with six sacks while coming off the bench, but the position is relatively thin behind them.
As for Bosa, he’ll find it challenging to find a contract with a salary around the $27MM and $20.18MM he earned in his last two deals. A signing bonus and the ability to structure a back-heavy deal could make it possible for Bosa to potentially find the $25.36MM in cash he was set to earn this year, but a new team will need to look past his recent injury history in favor of his impressive pass rushing abilities when healthy in order for him to do so.
There are sure to be plenty of suitors interested in landing Bosa for Year 10 of his career. By releasing him now, the Chargers have allowed Bosa’s team ample time to set up his free agent journey while allowing themselves time to make a plan for the offseason to address the new holes in their defense.
Imagine if the 9ers had both of em
No. Tell me more.
Both get injured anyways.
Rams on line 1…
Bears?
Lions. Bosa and Hutch will be a wrecking crew.
He would have fit in last year. The whole d was injured, he could have joined Hutch and the rest on IR.
He’s started 18 games total over the last three years and he’s 29. Incentive based contract? Sure, other than that buyer beware.
He’s slowing down, plus recent injury history has hurt his productivity. He needs to go to a contender with an already good d-line that’s missing one good edge rusher.
He’ll go to a stacked team on a prove it deal, like the Bills or Ravens
9ers or Miami.
Joey used to talk about playing with his brother, make it happen lynch
Lynch signs Joey, cuts his brother to make it happen.
That’s great. LOL
I don’t know the Chargers that well but I think he may be the last player from San Diego
Bears fan. No thanks.
Not a Bears fan, but I wouldn’t touch this guy with a ten foot (Ryan) Poles.
This was the right move. No point in paying that much for an injury prone player who got outperformed by multiple teammates.
I will be holding out hope he re-signs with the Chargers up until the moment he signs elsewhere. Best of luck Joey. He was the last first round pick of the San Diego Chargers. I went to the very last game in San Diego and got an autographed rookie jersey.
They got cap space. But draft wise I think they do
DT round 1 like a Kenneth Grant former Michigan player and round 2 go pass rusher like a Sawyer or Tuimoloau
Or
Pass rusher round 1 like a Green, Pearce, Stewart and target DT like a Collins or Williams in round 2.
Could even double up in round 3 with someone like Jared Ivey.
Have a feeling they’ll use their cap space for extensions and fixing the WR room and finding a C. Josh Myers
Somehow just seems like Donovan Edward’s will be a Charger also.
@easy. I think they go edge first, running back and dt in the first three. Center will be the only true free agent they get. After that they will sign cap casualties so it does hurt the comp pick formula and let everyone walk.