The LA Chargers made a move Wednesday night that fans have been anticipating for quite some time. After months of speculation, the Chargers officially moved on from the longest-tenured player on the team, cutting edge rusher Joey Bosa.
Bosa has been the dangerous combination of mediocre and injury-prone over the last three seasons, making it a no-brainer for the Bolts to save $25.3 million by cutting him. It was a good run for Bosa, who will have a head start on free agency to find his next team.
Bosa is not the only edge rusher whose future in LA was up in the air at the start of the offseason. Veteran Khalil Mack is a free agent for the first time in his career and very well could leave the Chargers if he perceives the grass to be greener elsewhere.
While that still could happen, the Bosa release reveals a lot about Mack's future. And it's good for the Bolts.
Chargers releasing Joey Bosa all but guarantees Khalil Mack will return
Mack and Bosa may be two completely separate entities, but one thing is certain: the Chargers would not have been comfortable releasing Bosa if they didn't have an inclination that Mack would return.
If there was any doubt whatsoever that Mack would leave the Chargers in free agency, then the Bolts would have held onto Bosa. It makes no tangible difference for the Chargers to cut Bosa now versus in the first few days of free agency.
If the Bolts were worried about Mack's decision, they would have kept Bosa into next week as a backup plan. With Bosa off the roster, the Chargers are pot-committing to Mack, which is a good thing.
It has always seemed far-fetched that Mack would leave the Chargers this offseason. Jim Harbaugh has been blatantly clear about his desire to re-sign Mack and the Chargers have the resources to re-sign him at market value.
The No. 1 priority for Mack at this point in his career is competing for Super Bowls. The Chargers give him a chance to do that, get paid, and not have to pick up his family and move across the country.
Chargers fans shouldn't expect a Mack contract to be announced on the heels of the Bosa signing. If anything, Mack's decision will be reported next week, at the earliest on Monday when the legal tampering window opens.
The Chargers simply wouldn't head into free agency with Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree as the only guaranteed options on the roster. Joe Hortiz and co. know something fans don't, and the Bosa decision only reveals that.