With all the questions regarding the status of a possible extension of star edge rusher Joey Bosa, Chargers fans received some great news Tuesday when not only did Bosa report for camp but later that evening, signed a record-breaking deal (5-year extension for $135 million, $102 million guaranteed) that will keep him as a Charger for the next six years.
This deal will not only make Bosa the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, but also the 12th highest-paid player in the league (according to Spotrac). While most fans expected the Chargers to find a way to mess up extension talks, some fans are now worried that the Chargers have overpaid for Bosa and will regret this contract next off-season when they’ll have to re-sign key free agents such as Keenan Allen, Hunter Henry, Melvin Ingram, and Desmond King. This will undoubtedly lead most fans to the same question:
Will The Chargers Regret Joey Bosa’s Contract Extension?
The short answer is “no.” The long answer is “Hell no!” While Bosa’s extension came at a steep price, there are many reasons why fans should feel comfortable with this contract.
The best part about the extension was the timing of which the deal was agreed upon. While Bosa signed what now seems like a lucrative deal, it seems like every year, at least one-star pass rusher hits the market and when they do, they get PAID. That’s just the nature of the market. In the very near future, some desperate team will end up signing a mediocre edge rusher to a deal worth more than the one Bosa just signed.
While Bosa is one of the best players at his position, the fact that a mediocre player can end up receiving a larger deal than the one Bosa signed highlights how important it was that the deal was agreed upon this off-season rather than the next. The Chargers undoubtedly would have had to dish out much more in order to keep Bosa on the team. The Chargers might have ended up getting in a bidding war as well which as many know, did not end up well for the Chargers this off-season when they attempted to sign Tom Brady.
Like I mentioned above, Bosa is one of the top players at his position. According to PFF, Bosa is the highest graded pass-rushing Edge defender since 2017. PFF’s praise for Bosa doesn’t end there. Since 2016, Bosa has the second-highest pass rush win rate among defensive linemen.
If you’re not a PFF fan, Bosa has a great resume in the stat department. In 51 career games, Bosa has registered 40 sacks and 53 tackles for loss. He is also no slump in the run game, as he was truly one of the best run defenders on the Chargers.
With expected improvement in play by the Chargers’ interior defensive line, Bosa may be able to elevate his game by focusing more on rushing the QB rather than defending the run. We might not have seen the best of Bosa yet.Understandably, some fans are worried about the Chargers’ ability to re-sign key free agents next off-season. What they may not realize is that with Rivers off the books, the Chargers have an abundance of cap space to re-sign players.
Before Bosa’s extension, the Chargers were projected to have close to $100 million in cap space next off-season. Due to the exact details of Bosa’s contract being unknown for the time being, it’s unknown exactly how much cap space the Chargers will have, however, knowing Tom Telesco, it’s likely that he was able to work some magic and allocate some of Bosa’s cap hit to future seasons.
Regardless of whether or not you believe the Chargers overpaid for Bosa’s extension, most would agree that they are happy to have him on the team. The Chargers dishing out loads of money for a big-name free agent is not a familiar sight but it is a welcome one.