Where there's smoke there's usually fire, and there's plenty of smoke that says Joey Bosa will be a cap casualty by the Los Angeles Chargers. They can clear $25.3 million in cap space by cutting him, and Any team that needs pash rush help would then likely have some level of interest in the five-time Pro Bowler, and the Detroit Lions are obviously in that conversation as they seek someone to pair with Aidan Hutchinson.
The Lions have a plethora of potential options to add an edge rusher, to the extent they will pursue them, so it's easy to add Bosa to the list of options based on the latest news that says he'll likely be available. A little too easy, to be honest.
Bosa earned his fifth career Pro Bowl selection this past season, but it was not because he produced like a Pro Bowler. His five sacks were a career-low for a season where he's played at least five games, and he was Pro Football Focus' 72nd-graded edge rusher overall. He did play 14 games, which equaled his total from the previous two seasons.
Lions should easily avoid serious interest in Joey Bosa
Bosa is more name than game at this point. He'll turn 30 in July, so the durability concerns that were only partially assuaged in 2024 are not going away. Getting up in age and he can probably be signed cheaply if/when the Chargers cut him, but others who are or may be available
Then there's this statistical note spanning the last three seasons, showing the sack total company Bosa has kept.
Total Sacks Leaders 2022-24:
83. LAC Joey Bosa - 14.0
83t. BUF Von Miller
83t. NYG Azeez Ojulari
83t. GB/SEA Jarran Reed
83t. TEN/CHI DeMarcus Walker— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) February 20, 2025
Bosa could certainly thrive in a situation where he's not the focal point, and he would not be that with the Lions. But he has had a similar situation the last three seasons on the Chargers' defensive line, with Khalil Mack opposite him. The important caveat is this past season was the one of the three where they they played together by far the most, and Bosa was simply not very good. Mack's sack production dropped compared to 2023, but otherwise he performed well.
Bosa is an interesting "name-brand" option the Lions could look at to bolster their pass rush, on the assumption he becomes available. He's just not a particularly good option beyond his name, and if we know this Lions' regime at all they will not be swayed by a name when the recent tape says someone is not the player he was.
