2025 NFL free agency: Joey Bosa signs one-year deal to join Bills over 49ers

Despite rumors that he would join the San Francisco 49ers, defensive end Joey Bosa went another direction. Bosa will reportedly sign a one-year, $12.6 million deal with the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Bosa played the first nine years of his NFL career with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ohio State product was the third overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and has since gone on to make five Pro Bowls.

However, Bosa was released by the Chargers earlier this month. He was due to make $36.5 million in 2025, which marked the final year of his contract with LA, according to Spotrac, so he’s taking a big pay cut.

This past season, Bosa totaled 22 total tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles. He has 343 total tackles, 72 sacks and 17 forced fumbles for his career overall.

Bosa helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2014. He won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award and became a unanimous All-American en route to the title.

Bosa immediately made an impact on the Chargers. He won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 as he recorded 10.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hits. The next season, he made his first pro bowl as his numbers improved to 70 total tackles and 12.5 sacks – both of which still stand as career-highs.

All told, the Chargers will save $25.36 million against the salary cap by moving on from Joey Bosa. It’s a bittersweet end to his long career there, but at least he joins a team that has a good chance at contending for a Super Bowl next year.

The Bills lost in the AFC Championship to the Kansas City Chiefs this past season. It marked the fourth time the two teams have met in the playoffs over the past five years with Buffalo losing each time.

But getting a veteran defensive presence such as Bosa will surely be a boost to the Bills’ Super Bowl aspirations this season. Buffalo is tied with the Minnesota Vikings for the most Super Bowl appearances (four) without a victory, but has never actually been to the big game with Josh Allen as quarterback.

That said, they’ll give it another shot in 2025 with Bosa to help anchor the defense. NFL free agency is officially set to begin at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, so the defensive end can ink his contract any time after then.