Projected Cost for Detroit Lions to Sign Joey Bosa

Detroit — As the 2026 NFL free-agency window approaches, the Detroit Lions have zeroed in on a familiar name to bolster their pass rush: five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Joey Bosa.

Bosa, who wrapped up the 2025 season with the Buffalo Bills, is projected by Pro Football Focus to command a one-year, $11 million contract on the open market. For a Lions front office juggling limited cap space and a win-now mandate, that figure lands squarely in the sweet spot between fiscal responsibility and on-field impact.

The 30-year-old edge rusher appeared in the majority of Buffalo’s games this season, posting pressure totals and overall grades that PFF deems “disruptive.” While his 2025 stat line stops short of elite, evaluators inside the Lions building view Bosa as a proven, scheme-versatile complement to ascending star Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit’s defense finished 2025 among the league’s top units against the run but ranked in the bottom third in sacks generated from the opposite edge; Bosa’s arrival would immediately redistribute blocking attention and free Hutchinson for more one-on-one opportunities.

Contract structure is critical. PFF’s model suggests a fully guaranteed base close to $11 million, eliminating lengthy commitment risk and preserving 2027 cap flexibility for extensions to home-grown talent. The one-year term also doubles as a “prove-it” platform for Bosa, who endured multiple injury-shortened campaigns earlier in his career before a healthier 2025 season.

Detroit’s personnel department has stressed the need for veteran depth that can function in both 3-4 and 4-3 fronts without steep learning curves. Bosa’s résumé checks each box, having produced in multiple schemes across eight previous seasons. At the same time, the Lions must weigh age-related depreciation; pass rushers reliant on power and burst can lose half a step quickly after 30, and Bosa’s medical file, while cleaner of late, remains part of the equation.

Still, with marquee free-agent edge rushers expected to approach $20 million annually, Bosa’s projected price tag offers Detroit a rare blend of pedigree and affordability. If the Lions hope to close the gap on NFC contenders without sacrificing future cap health, an $11 million flier on Joey Bosa could be the calculated gamble that defines their 2026 offseason.