Bosa launched after 9-year run with Chargers

• Kris RhimMar 5, 2025, 10:09 PM ET

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  Kris Rhim is a reporter for NFL Country at ESPN. Kris covers the Los Angeles Chargers, together with trainer Jim Harbaugh’s franchise-altering first season (https://www.espn.com/nfl/tale/_/identity/41068072/los-angeles-chargers-2024-preview-jim-harbaugh-culture). In Kris’ unfastened time, he lives his NBA goals at males’s leagues throughout Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES — The Chargers launched out of doors linebacker Joey Bosa on Wednesday night time, chopping ties with their longest-tenured participant and probably the most very best in franchise historical past.

The transfer saves them $25.36 million in cap area.

Bosa, 29, used to be decided on by means of the Chargers with the No. 3 pick out within the 2016 draft. His 72 profession sacks rank 2nd in franchise historical past in the back of Leslie O’Neal (105.5).

Bosa used to be named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Yr in 2016 after posting 10.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. He briefly emerged as probably the most league’s very best edge rushers, making 4 Professional Bowls in his first six seasons. He set an NFL document with 19 sacks in his first 20 video games.

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The Chargers rewarded Bosa with a five-year, $135 million contract extension in 2020, a deal that on the time used to be the richest for a defensive participant in NFL historical past. However accidents have plagued him since; he has performed in simply 28 video games over the last 3 seasons.

Nonetheless, Bosa used to be decided on to his 5th Professional Bowl in 2024, albeit as an alternative, and his 14 video games performed had been his maximum since 2021. When wholesome, he has remained an efficient move rusher; within the Chargers’ playoff loss to the Houston Texans in January, he had a team-high six pressures and one sack.

Bosa made it transparent during the season that he sought after to be a Charger for lifestyles, and he took a pay lower final offseason to stick with the workforce. Nonetheless, he used to be projected to have a $36.4 million cap hit in 2025, which at all times appeared untenable for the Chargers, who together with his unlock now have $90.6 million in cap area.

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Now, Bosa will navigate unfastened company for the primary time in his profession. Previous within the offseason, he mentioned the possibility of enjoying together with his more youthful brother Nick, a five-time Professional Bowl edge rusher with the San Francisco 49ers.

“It would be cool in the future,” Bosa stated. “I at all times considered myself being someone that may play right here and retire right here, which I feel now not many of us do on one workforce, and I feel it might be a fab factor to perform, however you by no means know.”