If the Los Angeles Chargers are going to make a playoff push, they may need to get by for the next four games without one of their premier players. According to head coach Brandon Staley, four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa will "likely" be placed on injured reserve due to the foot sprain he suffered in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Bosa exited the Week 11 matchup after only four snaps. He failed to log a tackle, pressure, or sack. Consequently, Packers quarterback Jordan Love managed a season-high 322 passing yards.Chargers’ HC Brandon Staley told reporter that DE Joey Bosa is now likely to be placed on injured reserve with a sprained foot.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 20, 2023
Bosa is one of the league's highest-paid defenders at a colossal $27 million per year and a consistently dominant pass rusher, but injuries have become a recurring issue in recent years. Since 2020, Bosa has missed 18 of a possible 60 games. He has only started 16 games three times in his eight-year career.
Bosa's absence will certainly hurt the Chargers defense, but things can't get much worse. They already rank 31st in yards against and are allowing 6.9 net yards per passing attempt, third-most in the league. As a result, the Chargers are sitting on a 4-6 record.
Barring an impressive turnaround, the Chargers are on their way to missing the playoffs for the third time in four years. Fourth-year quarterback Justin Herbert shouldn't be blamed; the Chargers offense ranks eighth in points scored at 25.9 per game and first in giveaways with only eight on the year. If the Chargers are ever going to be a contender, they'll need their defense to carry its weight, and that won't come easily if Bosa can't stay on the field.
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