Buffalo Bills' free-agent 'bargain' approaching six-figure sack bonuses

He failed to record a sack, but veteran defensive end Joey Bosa more than made his presence felt during the Buffalo Bills' comeback win over the New England Patriots.

With the Bills protecting their late 35-31 lead, and Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye escaping the pocket on a 4th-and-5 play, Bosa didn't overcommit and proceeded to bat down the pass attempt.

"The last play on defense was huge. We ran a little bit of a blitz, or a simulated blitz there, and he did a great job. That's an unselfish play on his part. Great job insulating some of the shallow cross areas right there," said Bills' head coach Sean McDermott.

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Although Bosa is only one sack from triggering a $250,000 incentive payment, the grizzled veteran didn't go off script.

"He's got a good feel for the game, and knowing when the quarterback was starting to escape from a contained standpoint. [He] did a great job of getting his hands up and pressing the pocket there. It was a great play for us," said McDermott.

Bosa provides tremendous value

Shortly after Bosa chased the Patriots off the field, allowing for the Bills' offense to kill the clock, NFL podcaster Gregg Rosenthal praised Buffalo's marquee offseason defensive addition.

"Joey Bosa has been one of the best bargains in football," said Rosenthal in an X post.

Joey Bosa has been one of the best bargains in football
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) December 14, 2025

After the Los Angeles Chargers made Bosa a salary cap casualty, the Bills reeled in the five-time Pro Bowler on a one-year prove-it contract.

Playing on a deal worth $12.6 million (Spotrac) Bosa has been both available and effective through 15 weeks of the regular season schedule. He missed only one game — the December 7 win over Cincinnati — due to injury while also playing through a wrist issue.

Defensive end Joey Bosa tuns towards the fumble that defensive tackle DaQuan Jones caused after sacking quarterback Baker Mayfield on Nov 16, 2025 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The Bills recovered theh fumble. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bills have certainly gotten their money's worth with the 30-year-old Bosa, who struggled to stay healthy his last few seasons in Los Angeles, having unexpectedly taken on a heavy workload. He's played 65 percent of possible defensive snaps as the starter opposite Greg Rousseau.

Although his sack total (5.0) is somewhat modest for a top edge rusher through 13 games, Bosa has made plenty of impactful plays with his most-recent sack being a prime example.

Bosa turned the tide in the November 30 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, stripping Aaron Rodgers and watching Christian Benford take the ball for a Bills' touchdown. He leads the league with five forced fumbles.

Sack incentives within reach

In addition to his $12 million base salary, Bosa has multiple incentives written into his contract, including escalators for sack total and playing time.

As mentioned, his next sack triggers the quarter-million dollar bonus. If Bosa reaches 8.0 sacks, then his reward increases from $250,000 to $750,000. The amount increases to $1.5 million if he can record 5.0 sacks over his next three games to reach double digits.

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Bosa is currently in line to earn a $1 million bonus for meeting the 65-percent threshold in snaps played. Fifty-five percent earns him $750,000.

All contract numbers are provided by Spotrac.

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