Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills run a defensive system that relies heavily on its front four to generate pressure on the quarterback. This strategy has served the team well against most NFL clubs. However, when that group can’t generate pressure against certain clubs and their elite quarterbacks, they have struggled greatly. With that in mind, general manager Brandon Beane has remained on a continued quest to find a pass-rush group that can put pressure on quarterbacks when it matters most.
A few years back, the Bills took a big swing on a big-name pass rusher when they signed future Hall of Famer Von Miller. That signing didn’t pan out, as Miller suffered a torn ACL and took a whole season to come close to his old form. This offseason, the Bills took another big swing on an elite edge, hoping that his long injury history is more a thing of the past.
In today’s installment of “90 players in 90 days,” we discuss a man who will be looked upon to create havoc in opposing backfields.
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Name: Joey Bosa
Number: 97
Position: DE
Height/Weight: 6’5”, 280 pounds
Age: 30 (31 on 7/11/2026)
Experience/Draft: 10; selected by the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers in the first round (No. 3 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft
College: Ohio State
Acquired: Signed with Bills on 3/13/2025
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Bosa signed a one-year deal for $12.61 million. It’s almost fully guaranteed, as the Bills will carry a dead-cap charge of $12 million thanks to the guarantees if they release him. Bosa’s cap hit for the season is just $5.32 million. That’s because the contract includes four void years at cap hits of $7.2 million (2026) and $1.8 million (2027-2029).
2024 Recap: Bosa played in as many games last season (14) as he did during the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined. After establishing himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, notching 58 sacks in his first 78 games, a litany of injuries has kept Bosa from playing at his best. He suffered a core muscle injury in 2022 that required surgery and caused him to miss most of the regular season. Then, during the 2023 season, he missed time with a hamstring strain, a broken toe on his left foot, and a right foot sprain.
Last year, he missed three games with what the team termed a hip injury, but what Bosa called a glute strain. In spite of the injury, Bosa was named to his fifth Pro Bowl in 2024. He totaled 5 sacks, 22 tackles, five tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles. He had two tackles, one quarterback hit, and one sack in the Chargers’ 32-12 playoff loss to the Houston Texans.
Positional outlook: Bosa is one of eight edge rushers on the current roster. Nelson Ceaser, Landon Jackson, Greg Rousseau, Paris Shand, Michael Hoecht, A.J. Epenesa, and Javon Solomon are the others.
2025 Offseason: Bosa is healthy and participating in practices this offseason. He...
