Chargers News: Why Los Angeles Cut Sebastian Joseph-Day

LA waived a team captain last week.

Los Angeles Chargers interim head coach Giff Smith explained the Bolts' thinking behind cutting star defensive lineman and team captain Sebastian Joseph-Day last week, per Alex Insdorf of Chargers Wire.

After being waived by a 5-10 Chargers team headed nowhere fast, Joseph-Day inked a one-year agreement to join the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers, a club that's in the inner circle of NFC title hopefuls, led by surprise superstar Brock Purdy. Joseph-Day has yet to play for his new franchise.

"It was a [situation] where myself and [interim general manager] JoJo [Wooden], just in talking really, the easiest way to say is that it was just in the best interest for the team. Other stuff I’d rather just keep in-house, but we wish him the best. I hope he does well in San Francisco and that everybody moves on."

Joseph-Day had been inked to a three-year, $24 million deal with Los Angeles in 2022 (only $16.5 million guaranteed). He is now on a far more minimal one-year, $1,080,000 deal on the contending Niners.

For the year, the 6'4", 310-pound Rutgers product notched 32 total tackles across his 14 LA games (15 solo), three sacks and six stuffs.

SJD is missed, even if his play this season wasn't quite commensurate with his Chargers contract. But this team is trying to lose, and the 28-year-old Joseph-Day has an exciting new opportunity with a winner this year.