Joey Bosa's time with the LA Chargers ended earlier this offseason when the Bolts cut him to free up over $25 million in cap space. Bosa's dipped production and durability concerns were not worth the massive cap hit he would have had in Los Angeles.
Bosa ultimately signed with the Buffalo Bills while the Chargers used most of that money to re-sign Khalil Mack to a one-year, $18 million contract. The Chargers' edge-rusher room now consists of Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree.
That is a strong foundation for an edge rusher room but the Bolts could certainly use more reinforcements. Not only would it help the overall rotation to add another body to replace Bosa, but it would help the future to do it with a young player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Mack and Dupree are not guarantees after the 2025 season and while Tuli Tuipulotu is talented, he may never be that true No. 1 edge rusher that Mack is (and Bosa used to be). To set the team up better in the long run, and to bolster the room in 2025, the Chargers may turn to one draft prospect in particular.
Chargers could draft Shemar Stewart to replace Joey Bosa
One of the biggest standouts of the 2025 NFL Combine, Shemar Stewart is an extremely tantalizing prospect for the Chargers to consider in the first round of the NFL Draft.
This is all contingent on the fate of Michigan's Colston Loveland. If the tight end is available at 22 then the opportunity may be too good for the Chargers to pass up. However, there is a real chance Loveland doesn't fall that far and if that's the case, Stewart is the next best option for the Bolts to pursue.
Stewart's game is more in line with Mack than it is with Bosa's but it makes no difference. He has legitimate top-tier edge rusher potential and would be joining the perfect team to eventually get that out of him. It wouldn't happen right away but he would be a prime candidate for a huge breakout season in 2026.
In his rookie year, Stewart would be best as a rotational edge rusher who helps dispel the veterans in the room. He has elite potential as a run defender and should be able to come into the league and make a difference in that regard right away.
As a pass-rusher, Stewart is still somewhat raw but has all the physical tools to thrive. A year under Mack and Dupree would do wonders for Stewart, who would be able to piece together his exciting potential into something tangible.
Bosa wasn't great last season so it is not absurd to say Stewart could have a similar impact (especially considering his impact against the run) as Bosa had last year. From there, Stewart could achieve even higher heights than Bosa because of his physical acumen.
It's not every day a team can bring in a six-foot-five, 267-pound edge rusher who ran a 4.59 40-yard dash. The Chargers may have that chance, and shouldn't pass up on it.