Former Buffalo Bills edge rusher Joey Bosa is still waiting to find a new NFL home, and could face an uphill task in doing so.
Bosa is one of the most high-profile players still available on the open market and coming off a season where he was largely productive for the Bills. Though Bosa has been connected to several teams in free agency rumors, one insider believes he’s the wrong fit for one top NFC contender.
Joey Bosa Faces Warning Over Age, Price
SI.com’s Brock Vierra broke down the offseason plans for the Los Angeles Rams, naming three players for them to avoid in free agency. Bosa was at the top of the list, with Vierra warning that he faces a dire outlook given his age and asking price.
“Bosa spent last season with the Buffalo Bills, after a nine-year stint with the Los Angeles Chargers,” Vierra wrote. “Bosa recorded five sacks last season, playing in 15 games. While Bosa does bring a lot to the table, the flip side of that coin is that there’s a lot of wear and tear on his body and he isn’t willing to take a discount, not even to join his brother Nick in San Francisco.”
Vierra added that signing Bosa would be seen as a “gamble,” another warning that carries wide-ranging implications for the former Pro Bowler.
“While he remains an effective player, even at this point in his career, the price is not worth the gamble,” Vierra wrote. “When Bosa is on, he’s one of the best players in the league. The problem is that version of Bosa is buried underneath the injuries of a long career. Plus, he tends to jump offside at the worst moments.”
Bosa had some other lapses during his time with the Bills, including a costly roughing the passer penalty in overtime of the team’s loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs. Bosa struggled at other times during the season, especially in run defense, though did generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks and led the NFL in forced fumbles.
Another Destination for Joey Bosa
Many insiders believe Bosa could join his brother, fellow edge rusher Nick Bosa, on the San Francisco 49ers. Reporter David Lombardi of the San Francisco Standard believes the 49ers will look to make an addition to their defensive line after the NFL draft.
âThere is a nonzero chance the 49ers exit the draft without picking up a defensive lineman projected to make the 53âman roster, leaving holes in their rotation,â Lombardi said on April 4 on his YouTube channel. âIf that happens, they might turn their attention back to free agency with a different price point in mind.
But 49ers general manager John Lynch wasn’t quite so optimistic, hinting that Bosa’s asking price is still too high for the team — and reinforcing some of the criticism from Vierra.
âI know that would make Mama Bosa happy, but I donât know if we can afford him,â Lynch said (h/t David Lombardi of the SF Standard).
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