5 Chargers Entering Their Final Season With Los Angeles
Week 1 is officially here for the Los Angeles Chargers, who'll kick off the Jim Harbaugh era with a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Harbaugh has shown little hesitancy to shake things up this offseason as LA hopes to get back to playoff contention in the near future.
Considering Harbaugh's championship mindset, this year will tell him a lot about which players on this roster he wants to keep coaching. Unfortunately for some guys, they already look like candidates to move on from next offseason.
1. Joey Bosa, DE
Los Angeles had several big decisions to make on pricey veterans this offseason as the team looks to get its cap situation right for a rebuild. That caused the anticipated release of wideout Mike Williams and unexpected trade of fellow WR Keenan Allen, signaling a change of the guard on offense.
Meanwhile, many expected big changes on defense as well with pass-rusher Joey Bosa being a prime trade candidate due to his eyesore of a contract. However, the two sides agreed to a restructured deal in March, quieting the buzz around a split at that time.
While Bosa's back in the fold, there's serious reason to believe this is his final year as a Charger.
Despite being a dominant talent when healthy, he's struggled to stay on the field in LA recently, appearing in just 14 total games over the past two seasons. He'll be 30 years old entering next season as well, and an aging, injury-prone star isn't one that teams want to depend on in a league that's only getting younger.
Bosa returning for a season is a good thing, as he could rehab his value by staying healthy and performing. That'd make opposing squads clamor to trade for him next offseason, which will be Los Angeles' last chance to extra big value out of him as a 2026 free agent.
It's clear Harbaugh isn't going to blindly stick by the Chargers' established veterans, so time seems to be ticking for Bosa as the new regime continues to reshape this roster.