Wednesday marked an enchanting day within the NFL forward of free company, with the Seattle Seahawks releasing Tyler Lockett and granting vast receiver DK Metcalf permission to hunt a commerce.
However these weren’t the one strikes that made information on the West Coast. Wednesday night introduced phrase that the Los Angeles Chargers had been releasing veteran cross rusher Joey Bosa. Whereas Bosa has battled accidents in current seasons, he recorded 5 sacks a season in the past and stays a formidable presence on the sting.
The transfer frees up simply over $25 million in cap area for the Chargers, nevertheless it additionally means an enchanting cross rusher is now obtainable.
Listed here are seven groups that ought to be within the Bosa enterprise, ranked by the probability he indicators with them as a free agent.
8. New Orleans Saints
A transfer to New Orleans could be a reunion of types for Bosa.
The Saints just lately employed Brandon Staley as their defensive coordinator, who coached Bosa throughout his tenure as the top coach of the Chargers. Move rusher can also be a necessity for New Orleans, as each Chase Younger and Payton Turner are getting into free company (and Tanoh Kpassagnon is getting into a void 12 months on his present deal).
Sure, the Saints’ monetary image is a large number, and the numbers is perhaps powerful to work out. However given the familiarity with Staley, and the wants on the sting, New Orleans is a touchdown spot value watching.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay drafted defensive linemen within the first rounds of the 2021 and 2023 drafts, however Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is probably going headed totally free company, and Calijah Kancey is greatest suited to do harm alongside the inside. Veteran Shaquil Barrett solely performed two video games final season, so there’s a necessity for a cross rusher reverse Yaya Diaby. Anthony Nelson can also be an unrestricted free agent and is extra of a rotation participant.
Bosa could be a really perfect match as he might assist the youthful gamers like Diaby learn to rush the passer and provides the Bucs a cross rusher once they presumably play with the lead within the NFC South subsequent 12 months.
Bosa can also be from Fort Lauderdale, so Tampa Bay would possibly really feel extra like residence than the opposite groups listed.
6. Chicago Bears
Ryan Poles is off to a giant begin this offseason.
Already this week the Chicago Bears normal supervisor has made a pair of strikes to rebuild the offensive line in entrance of Caleb Williams, buying and selling for linemen Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney. These strikes match nicely with the imaginative and prescient of recent head coach Ben Johnson, whose tenure in Detroit was marked by the Lions having probably the greatest offensive strains in soccer.
Including Bosa would enhance Chicago’s cross rush instantly, as pairing him with Montez Sweat would give the Bears two cross rushers able to producing stress off the sides.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks a season in the past.
The remainder of the group mixed for 18.5.
Complicating issues is the truth that two of these sacks simply walked out the door, with the choice by Sam Hubbard to retire from the NFL on the age of 29.
Line of defense has been a preferred choose for the Bengals in mock drafts this season, with consensus mocks sending Mississippi defensive deal with Walter Nolen to Cincinnati. However EDGE is a necessity as nicely, notably with the Bengals now dropping Hubbard. Including Bosa would deal with that want, whereas nonetheless giving Cincinnati the choice of addressing the inside of the defensive entrance with a choose like Nolen within the first spherical.
Replace: So, um, Trey Hendrickson was simply granted permission to hunt a commerce so there may be that as nicely.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
It is perhaps value keeping track of Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles in relation to Bosa.
The defending Tremendous Bowl Champions made information this week, inking Saquon Barkley and Zack Baun to new contracts. However the Eagles are additionally set to lose some expertise alongside the defensive position. Brandon Graham, who reportedly re-tore his triceps muscle in Tremendous Bowl LIX, is predicted to retire and each Josh Sweat and Milton Williams are set to hit free company.
With Sweat specifically anticipated to command a giant deal, Roseman might look to exchange a few of his manufacturing subsequent season with a deal for Bosa.
3. Inexperienced Bay Packers
The Packers are a sleeper group for Bosa right here contemplating the physique varieties they like with their edge defenders. They’ve wanted assist boosting their cross rush on the skin after ending twenty sixth in ESPN’s Move Rush Win Fee and the group failing to point out up of their playoff loss. Bosa matches their athletic profile on the sting, and whereas he isn’t essentially the most athletically gifted at this stage of his profession, he’s technically proficient sufficient to win on the skin via sheer willpower and method.
The Packers don’t actually have quite a lot of free brokers on their defensive position, so discovering a spot within the rotation for Bosa could be the duty, however once more: Bosa is on the stage of his profession the place a rotational cross rush man ought to be his position, and the Packers might use all the assistance they’ll get.
2. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions misplaced cross rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending leg damage in mid-October.
He nonetheless led the group in sacks, with 7.5.
That speaks to the shortage of cross dashing choices in Detroit outdoors of Hutchinson. Whereas the Lions anticipate to get their former first-round choose again to begin the 2025 season, including another choice (or two) on the sting is a precedence for normal supervisor Brad Holmes this offseason.
Bosa could be a sensible funding for the Lions, even at this level in his profession.
1. San Francisco 49ers
The second the Bosa information was introduced, the San Francisco 49ers got here to thoughts.
With good purpose.
Such a transfer would pair Bosa together with his brother Nick, and whereas the 2 have by no means performed collectively in both the NFL or school, they’ve lengthy expressed a want to line up on the identical defensive position within the league. That may make the older Bosa brother prepared to take one thing of a hometown low cost to signal with San Francisco.
Plus, the 49ers’ depth up entrance on protection might put the older Bosa in place to be extra of a rotational participant, which might hold him recent for the whole season and mitigate the damage dangers which have hampered him just lately.
