Chargers' Bosa eager to put 2018 season behind him: 'It was not me'

Perhaps no player on the Los Angeles Chargers is looking forward to the 2019 campaign more than Joey Bosa.

After producing from the moment he stepped on the field as a rookie in 2016, the star pass-rusher faced the first major setback of his career in 2018 as he missed significant time and battled a lingering foot injury. Now, he's ready to leave that difficult campaign in the rearview mirror.

"I don't like watching film from last year," Bosa said, according to ESPN's Eric D. Williams. "It was not me. I didn't have the same power, the same strength. It's not an excuse. It is what it is - but it's a fresh slate this year. I kind of want to put that behind me, what happened last year.

"I'm in a much better place, knock on wood, and I hope to continue to stay healthy. I just want to keep improving."

Bosa suffered the injury in training camp last year and missed nine games before recording just 5.5 sacks down the stretch. While he was frustrated to go through that experience, he's grateful to be fully healthy at camp this year.

"I don't know if it makes me a better player that I have a messed-up foot - well, it's not messed up, but you know what I'm mean - but going through that, I think I would have had an unbelievable year last year, and I would have added on this year," he added.

"I was frustrated last year, but it's over now. I'm here at camp. It's a new year and I'm ready to go. I've had a great offseason. It was a tough process working to get back to where I was, but I did, and I exceeded it. So I'm where I want to be."

Overall, the 24-year-old has notched 28.5 sacks in 35 career games, earning a Pro-Bowl nod in 2017 and the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2016.