Four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa agreed to restructure his contract with the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason. But that hasn’t stopped pundits from speculating whether he could be traded in 2024.
On August 2, SI.com’s Patrick McAvoy suggested the possibility of the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring the defensive end.
“Philadelphia had a great offseason and filled multiple roster holes after a tough end to the 2023 season. Despite this, some have speculated that they could use another defensive end,” wrote McAvoy.
“One player who could be someone to watch throughout training camp and into the 2024 campaign is Los Angeles Chargers star Joey Bosa.
“When he’s on the field, he still is elite. Los Angeles has a new regime so maybe it will want to make a chance like it did by parting ways with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.”
Bosa, who previously signed a 5-year, $135 million extension in 2020, has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons. But from 2017-21, he made four Pro Bowls while registering three double-digit sack seasons. He also had 10.5 sacks on his way to the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2016.
Could Chargers DE Joey Bosa Be on the Trade Block?
McAvoy’s suggestion that Bosa could be available for a team such as the Eagles originally came from Pro Football Network’s Anthony DiBona.
Although a lot of pundits have proposed the Chargers could trade Bosa in 2024, DiBona was the latest to do so in an article where he named one player would could be traded on each AFC West team.
“While Joey Bosa’s name still carries weight, he has struggled to stay on the field in each of the last two seasons,” DiBona wrote. “Despite being paid like one of the best defensive players in the NFL, Bosa has recorded just nine sacks over the last two seasons.
“This is why the Chargers could choose to cut their losses and trade him in 2024.”
However, there could be less urgency from Los Angeles to deal Bosa since he restructured his contract. Although now on a fully guaranteed salary, Bosa accepted a pay cut from $22 million to $15 million. His new deal also includes $4 million he could earn through sack incentives.
Bosa will have a $26.1 million cap hit this season. That cap charge will rise to almost $36.5 next year, but the Chargers could release him and only incur a $11.1 million dead cap hit.
It might be most prudent for the Chargers to see if Bosa can contribute this fall and then cut their losses after the season if he doesn’t.
One scenario, though, where he could still be on the move is at the trade deadline. If the Chargers fall out of the AFC West race by midseason, then they could shop Bosa to the highest bidder.
How Bosa Could Fit With the Eagles
Two years ago, the Eagles didn’t even really need peak-Bosa. But after nearly setting a record with 70 sacks during 2022, the Eagles fell into a tie for 19th in sacks with 43.
This offseason, they also traded outside linebacker Haason Reddick, who led the team with 11 sacks in 2023. The Eagles signed Bryce Huff, who is coming off his best sack season, to replace Reddick, but the team could still use additional depth at defensive end.
Bosa would obviously provide that depth. If healthy and in top form, he could help the Eagles pass rush return to its dominant form.
Although he hasn’t been on the field much the last two years, Bosa has posted 9 sacks in his past 14 NFL games. That’s still a sack per game average that should give confidence to a team such as the Eagles that Bosa can not only be a contributor but an x-factor when healthy.
