Los Angeles Chargers: How will Joey Bosa’s extension be handled?
By Tyler Schoon
In the wake of the Khalil Mack trade, one has to wonder how the Los Angeles Chargers will handle Joey Bosa’s contract extension when the time comes.
The Los Angeles Chargers are years away from having to address the future of defensive end and Pro-Bowler Joey Bosa. But given recent moves in the AFC West regarding Khalil Mack and the Oakland Raiders, it may be time to start considering it.
Let’s assume Bosa wants a contract extension before the 2021 season, which would be the final year and fifth-year option from his rookie deal. Not counting possible player options or future extensions, that leaves only eight players even signed to a contract in 2021.
The following notable players are not signed beginning in these respective years:
- QB Philip Rivers (2020)
- RB Melvin Gordon (2020)
- C Mike Pouncey (2020)
- DE Melvin Ingram (2021)
- CB Desmond King (2021)
That does not include a slew of other players that have expiring contracts in 2019, either. The two most important names are Ingram and Rivers. Ingram won’t command the kind of salary he was paid initially, but it will be up to the team to decide whether or not to stay with the 32 year old veteran on a short deal or let 2018 second-round selection Uchenna Nwosu have the starting job.
Rivers’ contract will have the biggest impact on Bosa’s deal. I’m assuming that Rivers, one of the most consistent numbers quarterbacks in the NFL, will continue to play well and stay healthy through the next two years.
If it is his desire to continue to play through another short contract starting at age 38, then I guarantee that Chargers will extend him. As the 14th “highest”-paid quarterback in the league according to Over the Cap, he’s due for an upgrade.
Therein lies the problem most teams have, and one the Raiders just went through with Mack: Is it worth it to allocate so much money per year to a quarterback and a star defensive player, possibly at the expense of other positions on the roster? The Raiders said no, and shipped their defensive cornerstone to the Chicago Bears for draft picks. It was a clear-cut winner for least popular move in the last decade for the franchise, but was it the wrong one?
The Chargers would have to again face the narrative that they are one of the “least loyal” franchises in the NFL, with both player disputes and even city changes plaguing their history. Trading Bosa would bring all of that up again. General manager Tom Telesco has done a great job of retaining deserving free agents and drafted players, but a reactionary and emotional fan base will despise the move all the same.
Let’s say the Chargers similarly get two first-round selections from Team X who can afford his extension with a rookie at quarterback. Not only could the team try and draft his replacement, but also package those picks to move up and take their official quarterback of the future. It’s very tempting, isn’t it?
One of the comments I read that best put the Mack trade into perspective was this: Look at the last decade of first-round selections for the Bears. Would you trade any combination of the two of them for Mack? And the answer was clearly “yes”; that’s why they pulled the trigger.
In contrast, if the Chargers were to look at their history of Round 1 selections over the last 10 years, would that move them towards not agreeing to a trade? You make the call:
- 2008: DB Antoine Cason
- 2009: LB Larry English
- 2010: RB Ryan Mathews
- 2011: DT Corey Liuget
- 2012: DE Melvin Ingram
- 2013: T D.J. Fluker
- 2014: CB Jason Verrett
- 2015: RB Melvin Gordon
- 2016: DE Joey Bosa
- 2017: WR Mike Williams
- 2018: S Derwin James
The simple fact that the Chargers could have two first-round selections does not correlate with a guarantee that they will play like their draft status. Of that list, I would maybe take the combination of Ingram and James over Bosa. That’s it; the rest are either very replaceable (even with my outspoken love of Gordon, I have to admit that) or complete busts.
dark. Next. NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 is finally here
If Bosa plays like the same player who has 23 sacks in 28 career games, which is part of a record already sitting in Canton, then the team should not hesitate to extend him. With all due respect to the Raiders organization, you simply should not trade away a Hall of Fame caliber player and the team’s best pick in over a decade.
We’ll just have to wait a few years to see if the Chargers’ organization agrees.