The Buffalo Bills made a very smart free agent signing last offseason, bringing in ex-Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa to provide a spark to their defense. All Bosa did was produce 29 tackles, five sacks, five forced fumbles, and two passes defensed in 15 games — not ground-breaking stuff, but excellent work for a one-year flier. The Bills were certainly happy with his impact.
That said, the Bills decided to go in a different direction at the edge rusher position this offseason, signing Bradley Chubb to a multi-year deal in lieu of re-signing Bosa. But Bosa himself has yet to sign with another team, despite ample rumors that he may land in San Francisco to be reunited with his brother, Nick Bosa, on that 49ers defensive line. This has led to some speculation that Joey Bosa may be thinking of retiring.
One NFL insider has an update on Bosa’s retirement plans.
Adam Schefter on former Buffalo Bills ED Joey Bosa’s Retirement Plans
GettyORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 07: Joey Bosa #97 of the Buffalo Bills looks on prior to a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium on September 07, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
“It is more likely than not that Joey Bosa has played his last NFL down,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter said on his podcast. “Now, again, could a situation like the 49ers come along that entices him enough to come out and play again? Yeah, absolutely. We saw it happen last year with Philip Rivers [to the Colts], so you never know when a player is fully done and when he’s not done.”
“But the fact of the matter is, I think if the Niners wanted to pair those two [Bosa brothers] together, it probably would have happened already,” Schefter continued. “I think if Joey Bosa wanted to play football, it probably would have happened already.”
Bosa spent nine years with the Chargers before his one season in Buffalo. For his career, he has 372 tackles, 77 sacks, 22 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and five passes defensed.
The Bills Defense Is Undergoing a Shift
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 17: Joey Bosa #97 of the Buffalo Bills looks on during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on August 17, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
With the Bills firing head coach Sean McDermott at the conclusion of last season, there will be a lot of new voices on defense in Buffalo in 2026. McDermott ran that defense and had since his arrival in Buffalo back in 2017. Joe Brady got promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach, and he hired Jim Leonhard from the Broncos to be his new defensive coordinator.
Though much of the depth chart will remain the same from last season, it’ll be interesting to see how different Buffalo’s defense looks. Will it improve, regress, or largely tread water? There’s a lot to be excited for offensively with the Bills, but defense is a bigger question mark.
And though Bosa’s return was always unlikely, it sounds like he may be hanging them up for good.
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