It was 2016 when the Chargers signed linebacker Joey Bosa. Boy, o boy, his talent was out of bounds. In his first 20 NFL games, he recorded 19 sacks. The 2016 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year went on a spree in his second year, with 2.5 more sacks in 2017 (12.5) than his rookie year (2016). In 9 years, he became a legend of not only the franchise, but the entire league. But JBBigBear recently got stabbed in the back by his trusted men.

10 days ago, on February 25, Chargers GM Joe Hortiz praised the veteran LB. He didn’t show any concern about the $36.4 million cap number. He specifically said, “I know he wants to retire a charger. I’d love for him to retire a Charger. I love Joey, the teammate, the competitor.” But something happened in the last few days. The HC Jim Harbaugh didn’t want to keep an aging player, not at that price. The 29-year-old LB, expected to retire soon, was about to get a shocker from the bolt.

On March 5, the Chargers surprised the fanbase by announcing the release of the outside linebacker. That’s very startling for the fans who want the team to go all-in. In 107 games (93 starters), Joey Bosa recorded 3 defended passes, 17 forced fumbles, 72 sacks, and 343 tackles (252 solo). That’s a big void to fill.

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The fastest Chargers player to achieve 50 sacks and holder of the second highest number of sacks in the franchise. That puts a huge burden on Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz. Joey Bosa took a pay cut last year to stay with the team. But the HC-GM duo wanted to save the $25 million from his cap space. Also, he was in the last year of his 5-year $135 million deal.

While they have cut the cord, there are many teams who would like to include him in the locker room. After all, he is a 5-time Pro Bowler.

Expected landing spot for Joey Bosa

Many teams need a solid player in the defensive lineup. The first name that immediately comes to mind is the 49ers. His younger brother Nick Bosa already plays for the team. So, the team would be more than welcoming to him. The HC Kyle Shanahan is already trying to find players in free agency.

The only issue is the injuries. Last October before the week 8 game against the NO Saints, Joey Bosa expressed concerns about his playing time left and said, “I think I have a few years, maybe, hopefully, a few good years left, and I just want to do everything I possibly can to take advantage of my opportunity.”

With such concerns, but great performances over the years, will the linebacker land a deal? That’s highly expected. But he would be more interested in getting a stable deal. Let’s see where the lightning takes him.