Could Raiders Steal Star Pass Rusher from Hated Rival Chargers?

The Las Vegas Raiders may be able to poach Joey Bosa from the Los Angeles Chargers.

Oct 4, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa (97) waits at the line with cornerback Michael Davis (43) and safety Alohi Gilman (32) during the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders could absolutely stand to add another pass rusher alongside of Maxx Crosby, as the Raiders finished with just 38 sacks a team this past season. That ranked toward the bottom of the NFL.

Now, to be fair, Las Vegas was without one of its top pass rushers in Malcolm Koonce, who missed the entire season due to a torn ACL. However, Koonce is slated to hit free agency, and there is no guarantee that the Raiders will retain him.

Las Vegas may need to scour the market for answers, and a solution may exist via one of its hated AFC West rivals.

Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa appears to be on the chopping block, as the Chargers can save $25 million in cap room if they release the five-time Pro Bowler.

It's looking more and more like Bosa's time in Los Angeles is coming to an end, which could open up an opportunity for the Raiders to pounce.

Of course, Bosa does come with a major caveat: he is injury prone. Since 2022, the Ohio State product has played in a grand total of 28 games. Fourteen of those contests came this past season, when he recorded 22 tackles, five sacks and a couple of forced fumbles.

Bosa is still just 29 years old, so it isn't like he is ancient, but his checkered injury history has definitely caused him to wear down sooner than anyone could have expected.

Regardless, even though the former No. 3 overall pick may not be the same dominant force he was in the early stages of his career, he remains a solid player and would represent a perfect complement to Crosby.

Think about this, too: if the Chargers do release Bosa, the Raiders may be able to land him on an affordable one-year deal. They could also potentially re-sign Koonce or add another edge rusher in the process.

Las Vegas needs to do something about its rather skimpy pass rush, and while it should have plenty of options available starting next month, Bosa could represent one of the most cost-effective solutions for Pete Carroll's club.

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