The Los Angeles Chargers have officially cut ties with Joey Bosa, a guy who was supposed to be a franchise cornerstone, a generational rusher, and the heart of their defense. Instead, his Chargers tenure ends with more "what ifs" than rings, and now he's hitting free agency for the first time in his career. Today, we’re breaking down why this move happened, if it was the right call, and where Bosa goes from here.
Why It Makes Sense
First things first: money talks. Bosa’s cap hit for 2025 was an insane $36.4 million, which—let’s be honest—was never happening. His release instantly saves the Chargers $25.36 million, giving them over $90 million in cap space. For a team in full-on rebuild mode under Jim Harbaugh, that flexibility is crucial.
Then, there’s the elephant in the room: injuries. Bosa is a monster when he’s on the field, but that’s been a big if in recent years. He’s missed 22 games over the past three seasons, and the Chargers just weren’t getting enough return on investment for a guy they once made the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
And let’s not ignore the fact that this is a new regime—Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz have zero loyalty to Bosa. This isn’t the old Chargers front office clinging to the past; this is a team hitting reset, and keeping an expensive, injury-prone veteran doesn’t fit the plan.
Why It Doesn’t Make Sense
But here’s the problem—Joey Bosa is still elite when healthy. Despite missing time, he still made the Pro Bowl in 2024 (even as an alternate), and in the Chargers’ playoff loss, he was the best defensive player on the field. You’re telling me a team that desperately needs defensive playmakers couldn’t find a way to make it work?
And let’s be real: this is the Chargers—a team historically allergic to retaining great talent and making smart roster decisions. They already lost Derwin James, Khalil Mack is likely next, and now they’re dumping a homegrown star who wanted to stay. That’s not a rebuild; that’s a fire sale.
Plus, the optics are just bad. Bosa literally took a pay cut last offseason to stay with the team, talked about wanting to retire as a Charger, and now they’re kicking him to the curb. That’s cold.
Verdict: Right Move, Wrong Team
Look, I get why the Chargers did this. The money wasn’t right, and he’s been unreliable health-wise. But that’s not the real issue. The issue is that it’s the Chargers doing it, a team with a track record of making moves that feel justified in the moment but ultimately lead to irrelevance. Releasing Bosa makes financial sense, but it also signals that they’re fully embracing a teardown with no clear path forward.
Where Does He Go Now?
So what’s next for Joey Bosa? A lot of teams are going to be calling, because when healthy, he’s still an absolute force. Here are some realistic landing spots:
San Francisco 49ers
The dream scenario: Bosa reunites with his brother Nick and creates an actual nightmare for opposing QBs. If the money works, this would be insane.
Philadelphia Eagles
Listen, as an Eagles fan, I need this to happen. Pairing Bosa with Zach Baun and Jalen Carter? Sign me up.
Baltimore Ravens
A perfect scheme fit, and they always find ways to maximize veteran talent.
Detroit Lions
Dan Campbell would love a guy like Bosa. That defense is on the rise, and he’d be a perfect piece.
New York Jets
If they’re really going all in on a win-now window, adding Bosa next to Quinnen Williams would be terrifying.
At the end of the day, some team is about to get a very motivated Joey Bosa on a discount. The Chargers? They’ll probably still be trying to figure out how they let another star walk.
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