The 49ers now have a chance to pair Nick Bosa with Joey Bosa in the wake of the Chargers' last move.
The San Francisco 49ers need pass-rushing help.
The Los Angeles Chargers just aided in the Niners' prospects for such.
Just days before the start of the league new year, the Bolts announced they released veteran defensive end Joey Bosa, their top pick from the 2016 NFL Draft.
Chargers release DE Joey Bosa. pic.twitter.com/efqVoVIRHa
— NFL (@NFL) March 6, 2025
Bosa, who had been the subject of a cap-savings move for some time now, officially becomes a free agent and should garner plenty of interest on the market despite having a bit of an injury reputation in recent years.
This opens the path for San Francisco to swoop in, which would also mean it'd allow the elder Bosa to play alongside his younger brother, Nick Bosa.
The two have talked about playing together before, yes. But, until now, the likelihood of such has been minimal.
49ers can finally pair Nick Bosa with Joey Bosa... if they want
There are a few obstacles to an obvious free-agent pickup of Joey Bosa.
For starters, the 49ers have to be concerned about those injuries, which limited him to just 14 games played in 2022 and 2023. On the positive, Bosa enjoyed a nearly fully healthy season in 2024, playing in 14 games and earning his fifth Pro Bowl accolade.
The last three seasons, Joey Bosa’s played 28 games and has 14 sacks.
— Al Sacco (@AlSacco49) March 6, 2025
There's also the question about compensation. Prior to his release, Bosa was playing on one of the most lucrative contracts given out to a defensive player.
In light of the 49ers aiming to get both younger and cheaper, targeting the 29-year-old Bosa doesn't make much sense.
However, there is always the possibility of the older Bosa brother accepting less money than he could get elsewhere to not only play alongside his brother but to also immediately join a contender in a defensive scheme with which he's familiar.
Plus, he wouldn't have to move to far. Just up the state.
Needless to say, the next few days should be interesting.
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