The Los Angeles Chargers announced they released 5-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa after nine seasons with the franchise late Wednesday evening.

The news of Bosa’s release was a surprise to many.

That shock quickly turned to speculation of which team will land the star in free agency. Bears general manager Ryan Poles stated at the NFL Scouting Combine last week the team is prioritizing a pash rusher this offseason.

“I would argue and say, if you have a good pass rusher in free agency and draft a good pass rusher you can’t have enough good ones,” Poles said. “I think we all watched that in the (Super Bowl) and that proves to be true. You want to see how you can put the puzzle together where you can fill all the needs perfectly. Sometimes that works out, sometime that doesn’t.”

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The addition of Bosa opposite Montez Sweat is one most Bears fans would welcome with open arms. Chicago struggled to get to the quarterback on a consistent basis last year – tied for 16th in the league with 40 total sacks.

Bosa turns 30 in July and will be entering his 10th NFL season. He has struggled to stay on the field in recent years, making only 18 starts the last 3 seasons with the Chargers.

As a result of the injuries, he hasn’t had a double-digit sack season since 2021 (10.5 sacks) and last recorded double digit tackles for a loss in 2020 (15 TFL).

However, he was named to the Pro Bowl in 2024 and did generate 13 quarterback hits, 5 sacks and 5 tackles for a loss.

Bosa’s services will be of high demand around the league with plenty of teams looking to add quality pass rushers. An obvious connection would be the San Francisco 49ers – a team that his brother, Nick, plays for. Despite a 6-11 record in 2024, San Francisco is in ‘win now’ mode and could use help on their defensive line as they ranked tied for 23rd in the league with 37.0 total sacks.

If the Bears were to sign Bosa, it would continue a string of acquisitions to bolster their lines on both side of the ball. Earlier this week the Bears acquired Jonah Jackson from the Los Angeles Rams and Joe Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs.