When he was drafted by the then-San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, there was a ton of hype around edge rusher Joey Bosa. Bosa has had great moments in his NFL career, making five Pro Bowls and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, Bosa finds himself a free agent, so why is this, and what does his future hold?
What Are the Best Landing Spots for Joey Bosa?
One of the biggest reasons that Bosa remains unsigned is his unfortunate history with injuries. Ever since Bosa was drafted into the NFL, he has dealt with injuries on and off during his career.
Throughout his career, Bosa has suffered a wide range of injuries. From hamstring to hip to shin, Bosa has been sidelined by numerous injuries. So, teams are more reluctant to give Bosa money and a chance because of his unreliable track record as a starter.
Last year was Bosa’s first year with a new team, as Bosa was a part of the Buffalo Bills’ defense. Bosa had a fine year overall, as he had 5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. Not amazing numbers, but Bosa did play 15 games, which is a good number to help boost Bosa’s chances of getting signed.
For Bosa’s lone season with the Bills, he got a C+ grade and ranked 38th overall according to PFSN’s Edge Rusher Impact Metric. So, where could Bosa play next season if a team does want to take a chance on him? He could return to the AFC West, as the Denver Broncos could be a very intriguing option.
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Bosa would be joining PFSN’s No. 1 team ranked in defense impact, as the Broncos got an A- score via PFSN’s defense impact metric. A very good player on that defense, Jonathon Cooper, is facing legal trouble.
Cooper had 8 sacks last year; however, Bosa ranks better according to PFSN, as Cooper received a C+ and ranked 42nd among edge rushers. So, Bosa could be an option if Cooper’s situation gets worse. Bosa would play opposite edge rusher Nik Bonitto, who was fantastic last year, recording 14 sacks.
The Baltimore Ravens had edge rusher woes this offseason. They initially traded for Maxx Crosby, but that trade fell through.
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The team did end up signing Trey Hendrickson in free agency. Hendrickson is a very good edge rusher, ranking 12th and earning a B grade last season according to PFSN’s edge rusher metric.
However, the Ravens could use all the pass-rush help they could get. Last year, the Ravens recorded only 30 sacks, ranking 29th in the NFL.
First-year head coach Jesse Minter did a great job with the Chargers’ defense last year, as the team got a B- grade and ranked 12th according to PFSN’s team defense impact metric. So, Minter, with his defensive coaching expertise, could get the most out of Bosa.
Staying in the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers are also a very viable option. The Steelers have two very good edge rushers in T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig.
However, there have been trade rumors floating around those two. So, if either one of them gets dealt, the Steelers could bring in Bosa.
Joey could also play alongside his brother, Nick Bosa, on the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers could use another proven edge rusher to play with Nick, so Joey could be a good candidate.
Overall, even though Bosa is not the most reliable at times, there are still landing spots where he could return to Pro Bowl form.