Which Veteran Pass Rusher Offers the Most Value — and What Is Joey Bosa Really Worth Now?

Several well-regarded, if certainly aging, pass rushers did not find a market to their liking during the pre-draft frenzy, and, with most not staunch advocates of the NFL’s informal spring practices, they are in no hurry to find a new team now.

Some will draw more interest after the draft, as teams with a pass-rush need will fail to adequately address it in the selection process and many teams prefer to wait until May to sign players near the end of their careers as well, given how they no longer count against the compensatory draft pick process. 

Much of the recent focus has been on former All-Pro Joey Bosa, after 49ers general manager John Lynch, who employs Bosa’s brother, Nick, opined he doesn’t have enough money and cap space to for both brothers… But that’s probably less the reality; the question is, would Bosa, with his body betraying him for years now and his production sporadic, be worth even a modest investment.

What’s Bosa Worth, and Who Else Is Out There?

Bosa earned $12M last season for the Bills in what was again a season of fits and starts. 

He once again registered just five sacks, even with the Bills trying to keep him on a pitch count and nurse him through the season, and while his pressure rate ticked up, he has failed to register even seven sacks in a season since 2021 and is viewed as having significant red flags. 

So, what’s he worth?

“He’s a five-sack guy now,” one NFL general manager quipped, “so $1M per sack? I’m thinking $5M-$6M a year, but that’s probably not what he wants to hear.”

New Orleans future hall of Famer Cameron Jordan is coming off a 10.5-sack season and even at the advanced age of 37 he is in position to command more than Bosa (especially with some positional flexibility). 

Jadeveon Clowney, though not exactly beloved in every locker room he’s inhabited, impressed evaluators I spoke to with his play in Dallas last year, coming off what was arguably his career season with the Ravens in 2024; he played for just the veteran minimum a year ago and if notorious for wanting to sign far later in the offseason. 

And Hassan Reddick might be a better fit than Bosa for some teams, too; Reddick derailed his career with a long holdout following his trade to the Jets a few years back. Even despite two lost seasons he is still just two years removed from four straight double-digit sack seasons and isn’t in a position to demand much in terms of contract guarantees.