Joey Bosa to Undergo Groin Surgery, But Chargers Expect Him Back Later This Season
COSTA MESA – Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa was placed on injured reserve following a groin injury suffered in Sunday's 38-10 loss to the Jaguars.
“It’s a tough loss for our defense, for our team," safety Derwin James said. "Joey means a lot to us. He’s a guy that we count on and we’re definitely going to miss him out there, but it’s on us to have his back and hold things down until he gets situated.”
Bosa, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, will undergo surgery to repair the groin muscle he tore during the Week 3 contest. He's expected to miss several weeks, but Chargers coach Brandon Staley said Wednesday that he's likely to re-join the team at some point later this season.
“It’s going to be a ways, but we expect him to come back," Staley said of Bosa. "I know that he’s optimistic and ready to attack it. He’s in a really good frame of mind. It’s never easy when you have an injury like that because he was playing so well, but we got good news on that front, that it wouldn’t be a season-ender and that we’re going to get him back later in the season.”
Bosa was off to a strong start to the season, registering seven tackles, 1.5 sacks and 10 quarterback pressures across nine quarters of football. Bosa was joined by All-Pro defender Khalil Mack this offseason following a trade that brought him to Los Angeles, forming one of the league's top edge-rushing duos in the NFL.
“Those guys were playing so well together, so that part is tough," Staley said of Bosa and Mack. "That goes for all of the groups on our team. The good news is that we’re going to get him back at some point this year.
"The good news is that we do have Khalil Mack. That’s the thing about building a team, you want to build a team that can withstand the NFL because that’s part of it. Our team is going to rally together. We’re going to have to make some adjustments, but I think we definitely have the guys to make adjustments with.”
Second-year player Chris Rumph will take over in place of the injured Bosa. Rumph, 23, will make his first start in the NFL on Sunday in Houston. Veteran defender Kyle Van Noy is also expected to contribute off the edge.
“You’ve seen how much he has improved as a player. He’s ready to play on the edge," Staley said of Rumph. "We’re fortunate that we have Kyle Van Noy. That was a big motive for us, bringing Kyle in here to give us that flexibility, but we think that Chris is ready to be out there. I definitely feel confident in those guys.
"Then, as you guys saw, we made a move. We acquired Derrek Tuszka. He’s from North Dakota State and has been with the Broncos and Steelers. We acquired him to solidify some depth of deposition.”
The Chargers claimed Tuszka off waivers from the Titans on Tuesday. He enters the Chargers' edge rusher group with familiarity of defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill, having crossed paths with him during their time in Denver during the 2020 season.
“He played in similar systems," Staley said of Tuszka. "He played special teams at both Denver and Pittsburgh. He comes from a great program at North Dakota State, the Bison. He fits that edge rusher that we’re looking for, that type of player. Looking forward to getting him here and adding him to the group.”
More from Charger Report
- Chargers Turn to Sixth-Round Pick Jamaree Salyer at Left Tackle, Place Rashawn Slater on Injured Reserve
- Chargers at Texans Week 4 Injury Report: Wednesday
- Chargers Sign WR John Hightower to Practice Squad
- Chargers Claim OLB Derrek Tuszka Off Waivers, Place WR Jalen Guyton on Injured Reserve
- What Options do the Chargers Have at Left Tackle With Rashawn Slater Out for the Season?
Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.
