Much like a year ago, the futures of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack on the LA Chargers are up in the air. Last year, the Chargers kept both big-name edge rushers by restructuring their contracts while making additional cap space by trading Keenan Allen and cutting Mike Williams.
This year's situation is slightly different. Khalil Mack is an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career with a playoff win being the only thing that has alluded his career. Bosa is entering the last year of his contract with a $36.4 million cap hit. The Chargers can free up $25.36 million in cap space by cutting or trading Bosa this offseason.
The Chargers theoretically can afford both Mack and Bosa but it is unlikely the team pays near $60 million for the two edge rushers in 2025. Thus, it might be a situation of one or the other, which is bad news for Bosa considering the latest Mack update.
After initially mentioning the possibility of retiring after the Chargers' playoff loss, Mack has since committed to playing in 2025. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that Mack will not retire, which could signal the end of Bosa in LA.
Joey Bosa could be shown the door if Khalil Mack returns to the Chargers
Mack's return to the Chargers is still far from a guarantee. The veteran edge rusher can sign with any team in the league for the first time in his career and while the Chargers are situated nicely to retain him, he could pursue a situation he believes presents a better opportunity to win a Super Bowl.
Mack playing in 2025 does not guarantee Bosa will be on another team. However, him returning to the Chargers might. Los Angeles can essentially pay for a new Mack contract with the money saved by getting rid of Bosa, which might be exactly what the team does this offseason.
Bosa is a household name but he is no longer worth top dollar. The former Pro Bowler ranked 36th among all edge rushers in Pro Football Focus' pass rush productivity while Mack ranked 24th. Neither is exceptional, but Mack was the better player and can be re-signed for cheaper than what the team is paying Bosa.
The Chargers could surprise fans and bring back Mack while keeping Bosa in town. But with other roster needs and Bosa not elevating the team to new heights, it makes more sense for the Chargers to utilize that cap space in other areas.
If Mack retires or leaves then Bosa may stick in LA solely out of necessity as the Chargers' only contingency plan is Tuli Tuipulotu. But if Mack returns, Bosa will likely be donning a different uniform in 2025.