Once upon a time Joey Bosa was one of the most feared defensive linemen in football. Bosa would constantly disrupted the opposing team’s offensive game plan week after week. Bosa is not the same football warrior that haunted quarterbacks like he used to. The LA Chargers had to make the decision on Bosa as he became a salary cap casualty this week. The Chargers saved 25.4 million by releasing the man they drafted in 2016 to the entire league of vultures who will swoop in to sign number 97 for his service he provides chasing down the ring leader. The Chargers’ new found money meant they were able to bring back their other QB destroyer Khalil Mack who is older but stays healthier over Bosa. Many wanted to see Joey sign with San Francisco to play with his brother Nick on the 49ers.

San Francisco fans had visions of the Bosa brothers being like the Malachi brothers in that Happy Days episode where they use their cars to crunch the opponents in an ole fashion crash up derby. Nick and Joey on opposite sides coming after the quarterback and meeting right in the middle for the CRUNCH!! The 49ers are in salary cap hell as many of their guys have bolted this free agent period to other teams. Joey did not hang around that long as he finds a new home with the Bills and their fan base, the Mafia. The Bills are rolling the dice on a one year deal with Bosa for 12.6 million to help Buffalo close the door on their nemesis, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Joey Bosa is 29 years old and knows Patrick Mahomes facing the Chiefs twice a year living in the AFC west for 9 seasons. When Bosa was drafted 3rd overall in 2016, it did not take him long to get up to the NFL speed of the game from Ohio State University. He won defensive rookie player of the year as he posted 10.5 sacks and had 17 tackles for loss in that first season. He leaves the Chargers organization at the number two spot all-time in sacks as Leslie O’Neal is number one all-time with 105.5 as Bosa finished with 72 wearing the Bolts uniform. Last year he played 14 games for the Chargers and only tallied up 5 sacks and 17 solo tackles. Bosa has 4 seasons where he has delivered double digit sack totals. The last time he did that you have to go back to 2021. In 107 games in the NFL, Bosa has 343 tackles, 157 QB hits, and 87 tackles for loss of yardage. He has forced 17 fumbles and scooped up 4 recoveries in his 9 years. He has made it to 5 Pro-Bowls. In 2020 Bosa got paid with a 5 year extension worth 135 million. Can he stay healthy is the biggest question about Bosa. He missed 9 games in 2018. He has only played in 28 games in the last three seasons.

The Bills have been looking for their Bruce Smith for decades. Smith was that guy in the 1990’s part of those 4 Superbowl appearances by the Bills where they had a guy that can put the QB on the turf. The Bills tried to get their Smith with the signing of an aging Von Miller who got a six year deal. Miller had actually more sacks than Bosa last season. However Miller never lived up to that Rams and Broncos legend that helped those two teams win the Superbowl. In 2023 the Bills as a group had tallied up 54 total sacks as a team. Last year that number dropped to only 39 sacks. The Bills had to cut Miller because he was going to be a big chunk of the salary cap and they saved a ton of money by releasing him. In a way Miller being a salary cap casuality pays off with the signing of Joey Bosa.

The Bills have a solid defense, but they need to get better at bringing down the QB. The Bills defensive line features DaQuan Jones and Ed Oliver who are two beasts in the middle. The Bills just extended Greg Rousseau who is a young guy on the rise. The Bills rotate A.J Epenesa, another younger guy who has done well chasing down the QB. I would like the Bills front office to add another piece or two besides Joey Bosa to the front seven of this defense. More guys you have in the trenches rotating in and out is a good plan to keep Bosa healthy for the entire season. I do like this signing even though I’d rather have Khalil Mack because he stays healthy unlike Bosa. I know the Bills can’t swing a deal to get a Myles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson, or Mad Maxx Crosby. Why would the Bengals trade Hendrickson to an AFC rival in the conference? Garrett and Crosby just won the Mega Millions lotto ticket. Suddenly Garrett’s trade demands in Cleveland have disappeared because he got paid. The Bills can’t take on a big defensive player for that type of money. Why get rid of crucial draft picks as well? Bosa did not cost the Bills a draft pick. Bosa will be motivated because he was released. Because he only got a one year deal. He should be motivated because he got cut by a playoff team and now is with a better post-season team as the Bills get deeper than the Chargers in the playoffs last season. The Bills have a chance to get to the Superbowl. You know he will give it all to get a bigger and better deal next season which may not be with the Bills. He would love to win a ring in the process. Maybe the dream of playing with his brother Nick is alive and well by next season. Right now this Bosa signing is low risk with a high ceiling of rewards if it works out on paper and he stays healthy and delivers in crunch time.