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San Diego Chargers: Joey Bosa is the NFL’s Next Elite Pass-Rusher

By Cody Williams

Oct 13, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa (99) works against Denver Broncos tight end Virgil Green (85) during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Green would be called for a hold on the play resulting in a safety. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa (99) works against Denver Broncos tight end Virgil Green (85) during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Green would be called for a hold on the play resulting in a safety. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joey Bosa has only played two games for the San Diego Chargers, but he’s already looking like the NFL’s next great pass-rusher.

Looking around the NFL in 2016, elite pass-rushers are truly a game-changer on the defensive side of the ball. Von Miller’s exploits help pave the way to the Denver Broncos winning Super Bowl 50. J.J. Watt (when healthy) has been the catalyst for the Houston Texans having a perennially great defensive unit. The list goes on. However, the next great in that department is looking more and more like it may be San Diego Chargers rookie Joey Bosa.

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The start to the Ohio State product’s NFL career didn’t exactly go swimmingly. He spent the bulk of the preseason in a bitter contract dispute with the Chargers organization before the two ultimately reached a compromise. However, he then got banged up early and missed the first four games of 2016.

He’s been on the field in the last two outings for San Diego, though. And Bosa has lived up to the billing as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

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Making his debut in Week 5, Bosa was an absolute force against the Oakland Raiders. According to Pro Football Focus, Bosa was the highest graded Charger on the day. Though he rushed Derek Carr on just 20 snaps, he still ended up with four hurries, one quarterback hit, and two sacks to his credit. Not bad for his first taste of NFL action.

However, this wasn’t just a burst of adrenaline in his debut. On Thursday Night Football against the Denver Broncos in Week 6, Bosa again proved to be a problem. The Chargers defense shined as a whole, but it was impossible to ignore the incessant pressure that the rookie put on Trevor Siemian throughout the night. Time and again, Bosa was drawing penalties and bullying Donald Stephenson. Consequently, he ended the night with five hurries and a quarterback hit.

Whenever scouts were assessing the potential of Joey Bosa coming into the draft, he looked like a player who had it all at defensive end. For the Buckeyes, he displayed speed, power, and moves as a pass-rusher at an elite level. Yet, the question remained if those skills would still be elite in the NFL. Through two games, that appears to be the case and in resounding fashion.

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Coming into 2016, the AFC West was all about the two elite pass-rushers in the division. Both Miller in Denver and Khalil Mack for the Raiders have earned that reputation. But it now seems like their duo may now become a trio, sooner rather than later.

Obviously reacting to two games is a bit of a quickdraw judgment when it comes to a rookie. That said, it’s been a damn impressive two games from the Chargers youngster. If he can continue to bully opposing offensive lines at the level he has through his first two NFL games, it won’t be long before he’s widely considered the league’s next elite pass-rusher.

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