The action preserves cap space worth $25.36 million. Selected by the Chargers with the third choice in the 2016 draft, Bosa, 29 Behind Leslie O' Neal (105.5), his 72 career sacks place second in team history.
Posting 10.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss, Bosa was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016. Making four Pro Bowls in his first six seasons, he became fast one of the league's top edge rushers. With 19 sacks in his first 20 games, he set an NFL record.
At the time, the contract extension the Chargers gave Bosa—five years, $135 million—was the costliest for a defensive player in NFL history. But injuries have dogged him since; during the previous three seasons, he has only participated in 28 games.
Still, Bosa was chosen to his sixth Pro Bowl in 2024 as an alternate and his 14 games played were his highest since 2021. He had stayed a good pass rusher when healthy; in the Chargers' playoff defeat to the Houston Texans in January, he had a team-high six pressures and one sack.
Still, he was expected to have a $36.4 million salary hit in 2025, which always looked unacceptable for the Chargers, who with his departure now have $90.6 million in cap space.