It’s always a surprise to see a player as talented as Joey Bosa without a team in late June, and the veteran pass rusher’s availability has sparked rumors of a potential retirement. Despite there being plenty of teams that could use Bosa’s services, NFL insider Adam Schefter recently suggested the player could call it a day.
However, it’s not unusual for a player nearing the end of his career to be patient when choosing his next team. Bosa will turn 31 in July, and still has high-level production in the tank, so which teams should still be looking to make a move?
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It’s hard to imagine Bosa calling it a day, despite what Schefter said on his podcast on June 24. Edge rushers are far too valuable for a player like Bosa to be allowed to walk away without having to turn down plenty of interesting offers.
If the veteran does decide to suit up in 2026, here are seven teams to watch out for.
Green Bay Packers
You wouldn’t expect a team that traded for Micah Parsons last summer to have a desperate need on the edge, but here we are. The Green Bay Packers traded away Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys before he hit free agency, and behind Parsons, the team has very little to get excited about.
Lukas Van Ness finally took a step forward in Year 3, but that still yielded only 1.5 sacks and 3 tackles for loss. Rookie fourth-round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton is an interesting prospect, but he profiles as a raw power rusher who will need time to refine his technique.
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Bosa would immediately raise the floor of the Packers’ defensive line, while providing an experienced head to steady the ship while his young teammates develop.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have some enviable pieces for a rebuilding team, particularly on offense. However, having already lost Calais Campbell in free agency, rumors persist about a potential trade for star pass rusher Josh Sweat.
Campbell and Sweat accounted for 18.5 of Arizona’s 30 total sacks last season, with no other player on the team tallying more than two. Even with both of their veteran stars, the team’s 30 sacks were tied for the third-fewest in the NFL, highlighting the depth of the hole the team is in.
On the plus side, Arizona has my pick for breakout star of the 2026 NFL season in second-year defensive tackle Walter Nolan. If the Cardinals can surround Nolan with even average pass-rushing talent, that would be a big step forward.
Detroit Lions
Players who wait this long to sign somewhere are rarely looking to join a rebuild, though, especially when there are Super Bowl contenders in need of help. The Detroit Lions have had wretched luck with injuries in recent seasons, having been hit hard on the edge in 2024 and at defensive back in 2025.
The Lions are also yet to find a long-term partner for star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, and just lost Al-Quadin Muhammad to free agency after a breakout 11-sack season. The team hopes second-round rookie Derrick Moore will be the player they’ve been looking for, but they also require the immediate production a veteran can bring.
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Either way, the Lions can’t afford another lost year on defense, with a stacked roster that should be competing for Super Bowls every season. Bosa would step in to help Moore find his feet in the NFL, while providing much-needed depth and insurance against any more injury woes.
San Francisco 49ers
Speaking of injuries, if there is one team that appears to have offended the football gods in recent years, it’s the San Francisco 49ers. From Dre Greenlaw’s heartbreaking sideline injury in the Super Bowl to Christian McCaffrey’s struggles to the injury plague of 2025, this team can’t catch a break.
Not only would Bosa lining up alongside his brother, Nick, be a feel-good story, but it makes sense from a football standpoint. The team has plenty of cap space, despite what GM John Lynch said earlier in the offseason, and there’s not a great deal of depth on the edge.
Also, with Nick Bosa and teammate Mykel Williams both returning from season-ending ACL tears, having an extra body to rotate in could be invaluable early on. The 49ers no longer have Robert Saleh to perform his miracles, so building defensive depth should be a priority ahead of September.
Seattle Seahawks
The rich get richer. Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba were outstanding in 2025, but the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl win was built on their defense. That defensive unit remains one of the best in the NFL, but the loss of Boye Mafe on the edge will need to be addressed.
Mafe’s contributions in Seattle had slowed since his impressive 2023 campaign, as had his snap counts, making the role perfect for a 31-year-old Bosa to step into. Mafe played 50% of Seattle’s defensive snaps in 2025, the same amount Bosa played in his final season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024, albeit in an injury-hit campaign.
A rotational role on a team gunning for back-to-back crowns could be too good an opportunity to turn down. Plus, he’d join his brother in the NFC West, albeit as a rival rather than a teammate.
Indianapolis Colts
We’re into the “honorable mentions” section of this article, but the Indianapolis Colts shouldn’t be ruled out. Former first-round draft pick Kwity Paye moved on in free agency after five years with the Colts.
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The team has added numbers to their edge-rusher room, adding Arden Key and Michael Clemons in free agency, before spending two Day-3 picks on the position. Trading two firsts for Sauce Gardner last November was a statement that Indianapolis is looking to win now, though, making Bosa a sensible target for the AFC South side.
Chicago Bears
Only six teams tallied fewer sacks than the Chicago Bears in 2025, yet the reigning NFC North champions did next to nothing on the edge in free agency or the draft. That’s likely because 2024 fifth-round pick, Austin Booker, looks to be a steal after finishing 26th across the entire NFL in PFSN’s Edge Impact score in 2025.
Booker should be in line to start from Day 1 come September, with Montez Sweat wreaking havoc on the other side. Still, with Super Bowl aspirations, the Bears could use a proven weapon to rotate in on the edge, in addition to the pressure Dennis Allen generates from his secondary.
