After months of speculation, star defensive end Joey Bosa has signed a one-year $12.6 million contract with the Buffalo Bills. This move represents a huge step for Bosa, who has undergone an extremely frustrating past couple of seasons with injuries. One week into his new team’s training camp, an impatient Bosa is ready to get back on the field. That’s because he’s played in just 28 regular season games and two playoff games during that span.
The 2023 season has arguably been the worst of his career. That’s probably contributed to his facing a league-high number of injuries this season. Those are issues surrounding his foot, hamstring and toe that have limited him to just nine games. Even in light of these obstacles, he has still managed to produce some dazzling numbers. Bosa now leads the league with four forced fumbles and has a new career-high pressure percentage of 23.4%. His 18 pressures are tied with Micah Parsons for most in the NFL this season.
Bosa’s snap counts have seen a sharp increase in the last few weeks. He played 87% of snaps in Week 3 vs. Miami Dolphins. He hasn’t been over 60% of the snaps even in Week 4 starting 73% of the plays vs New Orleans. The Bills coaching staff has emphasized managing his playing time carefully, aiming to keep him healthy and available for the crucial stretch of the season in January.
So how do Bosa’s preparation routines compare to his response in 2019? It’s important to him to stay on top of his own pregame stretching and workouts. Frequently, he goes directly from these meetings to practice without a change of clothes. This regimen is just one example of his overall commitment to staying in top physical shape.
“I’m not taking that for granted, and there’s always things that you can improve on, and I think we’re striving to do that every day at practice,” – Joey Bosa
There’s little question that Bosa’s excitement for his new chapter with the Buffalo Bills is contagious. After a long road of rehab, he’s confident that he’s in top form and at an improved place mentally and physically.
“Enjoyed a little time off, feeling pretty recovered. So, overall, I think things are going great,” – Joey Bosa
Epenesa, another budding defensive star on the Bills’ roster, told the New England Journal of Record about Bosa’s effect on the team. His power rushes are of special note, belying his size with a burst of speed and athleticism. Epenesa explained that Bosa’s exceptional talent is a learning experience for teammates and creates benefits for the rest of the defense.
“His power rushes are so effective, and part of the reason is that is, yes, he’s so big, but his get off is so impressive… We love having him in the room; we can learn a lot from just what he does on the field,” – A.J. Epenesa
Bosa learned the hard way that he had to pace himself during games. To get there, he has already shared a bit of his philosophy on playing time, which he framed as a performance-sustainability balance.
“Ideally, we keep it below that, but at the end of the game, if it’s crunch time and I need to be out there, I’m going to play as many snaps as I need to,” – Joey Bosa
He went into detail about his new approach to energy conservation early in games. This strategy is the only way to keep him powerful when it counts.
“But yeah, the goal isn’t to go out there and have an incredible one game. It’s about consistency and longevity for the season to manage that,” – Joey Bosa
Bosa’s mindset goes beyond his belief that he wants to play the game aggressively and understand the consequences that come with playing the sport. He argued that it is important to go beyond fear of injury in order for us to perform.
“It’s really tough, but playing scared and playing trying not to get injured is just going to cause more issues than not,” – Joey Bosa
As he reflects on the past and looks towards the future, Bosa understands that injuries come with the territory. Ultimately, though, he has already come to terms with this truth and decided it’s better just to make the full speed plays at this point.
“So, when you decide to play it another year, you make that deal with yourself… but you’re not going to think about it while you’re out there. You’re going to go full speed a hundred miles an hour and whatever happens, happens,” – Joey Bosa
Bosa likes to play a very physical style of football. He’s found over the years that sticking with their more aggressive approach is a good way to minimize injuries.
“But usually if you’re playing fast and violent and physical, then you’re actually going to end up protecting yourself more than if you’re watching around the pile,” – Joey Bosa
Reflecting on his recent performances, Bosa admitted that sticking to a plan has proven to be the key to getting through games while keeping his workload in check. He conceded that at times, things happen and turn you off course from that plan.
“I won’t mention the exact count of what the plan is, but there is a plan, and it kind of got away from us [vs. the Dolphins],” – Joey Bosa
He’s looking to avoid being on the sidelines during important in-game situations. He is quick to acknowledge the need to stop and rest when driving long distances.
“Some of those drives were long and they’d look at me, and I’d be like, ‘No, no.’ I hate being pulled out in the red zone even if it’s a really long drive cause I just want to be out there,” – Joey Bosa
Eventually, Bosa wants to find just the right happy medium between doing enough to make an impact without wearing yourself out with excess effort.
“Being able to do enough without overdoing it and feeling fresh and ready without feeling fatigued,” – Joey Bosa
As he continues to find his fit with the Bills, Bosa is determined to make this season a special one.
“It’s just work now. It’s just my life and my routine and I’m not like figuring things out,” – Joey Bosa
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