Chargers’ Joey Bosa: Can be ‘cool’ to play with brother Nick

COSTA MESA, Calif. — Chargers outdoors linebacker Joey Bosa, who took a pay reduce to stay with the group this season and was the topic of offseason commerce rumors, mentioned he has had conversations about enjoying along with his brother, Nick, the San Francisco 49ers’ All-Professional OLB, although they’ve by no means been critical.

“It would be cool in some unspecified time in the future,” he mentioned. “I all the time considered myself being anyone that may play right here and retire right here, which I feel not many individuals do on one group, and I feel can be a cool factor to perform, however you by no means know. I’ll fear about this yr first.”

Bosa had two years remaining on a five-year, $135 million contract extension he signed in 2020. He was seen as a possible reduce or commerce candidate for the wage cap-strapped Chargers this offseason however restructured his deal in March to stick with them. He has an $8 million assured base wage this season and no assured cash in 2025, doubtlessly making this his closing season in L.A.

“I need to win. I need to be on this group. I need one other shot with the blokes on this room, particularly Khalil [Mack],” Bosa mentioned. “And successful soccer video games is extra necessary to me proper now than making some more money.

“So I feel we’ve got an incredible alternative right here, and who is aware of, possibly I am going to have an incredible yr this yr, after which issues can change down the street.”

Bosa has performed simply 14 video games over the previous two seasons, lacking time with hamstring, foot and toe accidents. The frustration of these accidents was evident when Bosa left the sphere in tears after spraining his foot in a Week 11 loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers final season that sidelined him for the rest of the yr. Bosa tried to return from that damage late within the season however sprained one other a part of his foot in follow, he mentioned.

Bosa averted surgical procedure on his foot however mentioned he had offseason surgical procedure on his finger for a separate damage that he did not specify.

“My foot’s feeling nice. Toe’s good. The hamstring’s good. I imply, there was a listing of issues final yr, my hand, so all these issues are good,” Bosa mentioned. “It is good to be feeling higher going into 12 months 9 than you could have since possibly 5, six years in the past.

“I’ve mentioned I have been feeling nice the final couple years. It is the actual deal this time, however clearly something can occur, however it’s enjoyable, feeling actually assured in your physique and having the ability to carry out.”

When wholesome, Bosa continues to be one of many league’s greatest, as he confirmed within the Chargers’ win over the Jets in Week 9 final season, the place he had 2.5 sacks and a pressured fumble. He is trying ahead to displaying his abilities throughout coaching camp subsequent month when he matches up towards Chargers first-round rookie Joe Alt.

“I’ll have to beat him up just a little bit in camp so he is prepared,” Bosa joked. “We’ll see in just a few weeks, once I lay a helmet on his chin, how he holds up.”