Jim Harbaugh Earns $38.7 Million Worth of Breathing Space as Joey Bosa’s Restructure Eases Roster Issues

Releasing the inhibitions he held since Jim Harbaugh put on the cap of Chargers’ head coach might feel relieving. With the cap space fumbles and jumbles said and done, Jim Harbaugh can now focus back on the thing he initially loved doing as a Chargers’ head coach: a team overhaul.

It’s a Jim Harbaugh classic, building a team from scratch anywhere he goes. The 49ers, Michigan, and now the Chargers, Jim Harbaugh is known for hand-crafting his team. The salary cap hindered the process for the Chargers, dishing out a myriad of problems with the most pressing issues being the four veteran players. Harbaugh changed the narrative from it being a problem to the Chargers holding a 5th overall pick with his business acumen.

Jim Harbaugh’s savvy strategy

When the fine details of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack were released, fans were initially dumbfounded. Tom Pelissero gave a clearer picture of the deal, iterating that it was not only a restructuring but also beforehand pay cuts that helped ease some of the cap burden, enabling the two veterans to stay with Jim Harbaugh. With these restructures, the Chargers, who were earlier about $54 million above the cap, now have a 38.7 million space cap, the 5th most cap space in the NFL.

After playing just 14 games over the past two seasons, Joey Bosa took a $7 million cut from $22 million to $15 million. However, he still has room to earn $4 million through sack incentives and has his full salary guaranteed. Khalil Mack, on the other hand, took a pay cut of $23.25 million to $19 million as part of a restructured contract. It now forbids him from being franchise-tagged in 2025. However, Bosa will get an additional $4 million in his roster bonus next year, totaling the amount to $12.36 million.

With the room that the salary cap has given the Chargers, Harbaugh can dare a little and continue with his overhaul motto. The staff is finished to perfection, now it’s the roster that Jim Harbaugh and Co. will turn their attention toward.

Jim Harbaugh and Chargers roster

The Chargers have a fifth pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Fans hope Harbaugh would use it creatively since he has the best knowledge of all the top collegiate players from his previous season. Jim Harbaugh is expected to make some non-QB-focused hires in this draft, per reports, since they already have Justin Herbert.

READ ALSO: Despite Jim Harbaugh Facing $142M Salary Cap Hurdles, Report Hints at Chargers Coach’s Masterstroke

Hence, per Alex Insdorf, Harbaugh’s non-QB-focused strategy is likely to target LSU WR Malik Nabres to complement Herbert’s game plan as their first-round pick. This would also fill up the post-Keenan Allen void in the Chargers. However, Washington’s Rome Odunze would also present an interesting competition to Nabres. Who do you think will Jim Harbaugh pick?

READ MORE: Jim Harbaugh’s Strategy Nets Brock Bowers for Chargers at No. 11 in Round 2 of 2024 NFL Mock Draft