Bills' splash free agent signing Joey Bosa is an instant upgrade over Von Miller

The five-time Pro Bowler gives the Bills more juice along the defensive line.

Nico Salimbene | Mar 12, 2025

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa (97) celebrates after a tackle against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at SoFi Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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The Bills made a splash in free agency Tuesday night, agreeing to terms with former Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa on a one-year deal reportedly worth $12 million. The deal, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, has incentives that could increase it to $15.6 million. While the exact details of the contract have yet to be released, initial looks of it show to be rather team-friendly for a player of Bosa's caliber.

The five-time Pro-Bowler makes his way to Buffalo with a great resume; in his first nine seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, the 29 year old amassed 72 sacks and 152 QB hits. A former third-overall pick, Bosa was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016.

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa (97) forces and incomplete pass by Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

After releasing pass rusher Von Miller, who spent three seasons in Buffalo, the Bills desperately needed a playmaker on the opposite side of recently-extended Greg Rousseau. The team is essentially swapping out Miller for Bosa, which is a trade off that Bills fans should easily get behind. They are getting a younger player, on a cheaper, shorter deal, with higher upside at this point in both of their careers.

Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa (97) during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The biggest concern with Bosa has been his injury history as of late; he hasn't played a full season since 2019, when the NFL regular season still consisted of only 16 games. It should also be noted that he has played in just 28 out of 51 games across the last three seasons.

A counterpoint to this, however, is that the Bills' defensive scheme calls for plenty of rotation along the line, which should give their newest pass rusher the best opportunity to remain healthy over the course of a long season. This was how Von Miller was utilized for a majority of his time in Buffalo, used only on obvious passing downs in order to remain fresh and lessen the chance of injury.

Joey Bosa ‘24 pass rushing tape

13.9% pass rush win rate (22nd in NFL) with 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles in 15 games.

Still a valuable asset on passing downs. pic.twitter.com/VxIbzlVlWE
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 11, 2025

The recent signing of former Rams defensive lineman Michael Hoecht should also free up opportunities for Bosa; Hoecht, while labeled a defensive end, has the ability to play multiple different positions across the front seven. When he's on the field, Hoecht must be accounted for at all times thanks to his versatility, which will open lanes for Bosa to get home to the quarterback.

New Bills Edge Michael Hoecht

-odd & even front versatility + off ball rush ability
-physical & violent
-athleticism + size
-hand usage to defeat blocks (long arm, stack & shed) & rush (cross chop + club)
-capable in coverage
-strong, consistent motorpic.twitter.com/ON3VCfeZ6e
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) March 11, 2025

The Bills went into this year's offseason with glaring needs along the defensive line, and general manager Brandon Beane is wasting no time to address it. If Joey Bosa can top the eight sacks and 12 QB hits that Von Miller had during his first season in Buffalo, this signing will prove to be a home run.