Chargers’ surprising Joey Bosa take changes offseason outlook

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The Los Angeles Chargers’ split with Joey Bosa this offseason has seemed like a matter of time.
Until Tuesday, anyway.
Despite Bosa’s massive $36.4 million cap number and the $25 million in cap space his departure would create, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz told reporters at the scouting combine that keeping Bosa remains a realistic option.
“I know he wants to retire a charger,” Hortiz said. “I'd love for him to retire a Charger. I love Joey…the teammate, the competitor.”
Fans might want to file this one under the sure, what else would he say? umbrella and call it a day. But it’s not like the Chargers are hurting for cap space.
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It’s also not totally impossible that Bosa opts to take a pay cut and contract restructure just like he did last offseason to start the Jim Harbaugh era.
While Bosa has had problems staying on the field ince 2022, he will still only turn 30 this summer and was effective this past season once fully back from nagging hip and other injury woes. If the two parties can agree to some financial restructuring, perhaps the Chargers keep him around – especially with Khalil Mack headed to free agency.
Given a multitude of reasons, Hortiz’s comments add some weight to the Bosa discussion that previously wasn’t there.

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Chris Roling has covered the NFL since 2010 with stints at Bleacher Report, USA TODAY Sports Media Group and others. Raised a Bengals fan in the '90s, the Andy Dalton era was smooth sailing by comparison. He graduated from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and remains in Athens.
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