Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa has been out all season with a foot injury. Bosa first injured his left foot early in training camp, sat out a few weeks and returned to the field, only to injure the foot again in the lead-up to the Chargers' season-opener.
There had been speculation early on that he might be ready to play during the first half of the season, but that didn't come to pass. Now, though, Bosa might be getting ready to make his season debut.
The Chargers listed Bosa as questionable for Sunday's game against the division rival Denver Broncos after he got in a full week of limited practices. Bosa, though, was talking Thursday like a man who expected to be on the field.
"I'm sure after the game, next Monday, it's going to be pretty tough," Bosa said, per NFL.com. "It's something you have to manage with ice and volume."
That would be a major boost for the Chargers, who have managed to rack up a 7-2 record without their star pass-rusher. The Chargers have 26 sacks on the season, tied for 10th-most in the NFL, but Bosa is their best pass-rusher. If they get him back on the field and put even more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, that would only help their secondary, which hasn't been quite as good this season as in the previous few years, even with the presence of rookie Derwin James, who has been fantastic in his debut season.
Bosa has been remarkable during his first two NFL seasons, racking up 23 sacks in 28 games. He dealt with some injuries early on during his first year after a protracted contract negotiation surrounding offsets in his rookie deal, and now he's been out for most of his third season as well. He is one of the most dominant defensive forces in the NFL when on the field, though, and the Chargers will surely be happy to get him back out there.