The Joey Bosa era in Los Angeles is officially over.
The LA Chargers announced on Wednesday that they have released the veteran outside linebacker Bosa. The move ends Bosa’s tenure with the team after nearly a decade.
Bosa, 29, was the Chargers’ No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft (back when they were still in San Diego) and quickly made his impact felt by winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that season. He later went on to make five Pro Bowl teams (including one in 2024) and was at one point the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
But Bosa’s production had declined slightly over the years, and his last three seasons were plagued by injuries, resulting in just 28 total games played out of a possible 51. By releasing Bosa, the Chargers are set to save over $25.3 million against the salary cap. Facing a March 13 deadline to get under the cap, the team has made the difficult decision to part ways with their longtime defensive star.
Bosa finishes his Chargers career at second in franchise history with 72.0 sacks and first with 87 total tackles-for-loss (though that statistic was not widely tracked until the beginning of the 21st century). His 19 sacks in the first 20 games of his career also mark an all-time NFL record.
Now the question becomes which NFL team Bosa will be joining next. He should have several good options to choose from, including an intriguing one elsewhere in the same state.
