The Dolphins are working fast with Bradley Chubb. Less than two days after trading for the veteran pass rusher, they reached an agreement to extend him, The Score’s Jordan Schultz reports (via Twitter).
Chubb is signing a five-year, $110MM deal that includes $63.2MM guaranteed, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). The former No. 5 overall pick now checks in as the league’s sixth-highest-paid edge defender. Initially reported to be worth $119MM, the deal’s new-money average comes in at $22.7MM per year. The $119MM accounts for Chubb’s remaining 2022 fifth-year option salary (just more than $7MM) and minor Pro Bowl incentives. Chubb is under contract through 2027.
Like they did with Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins stepped up with a big-ticket extension just after trading a first-round pick for a veteran. Chris Grier indicated Wednesday a deal was likely near, and he has now authorized a payday to keep Chubb off the 2023 market. The Dolphins acquired Chubb just before the deadline, sending the Broncos first- and fourth-round picks and running back Chase Edmonds.
Miami’s compensation package gave Chubb’s camp some leverage, but the sides found common ground. The 26-year-old pass rusher’s deal was always expected to come in north of $20MM AAV, but the parties finalized an agreement that puts Chubb in between ex-teammate Von Miller‘s $20MM-per-year Bills pact and the league’s top tier.
This contract checks in less than $1MM below Maxx Crosby‘s $23.5MM-AAV Raiders extension, representing a bit of a bargain for the Dolphins. While Chubb’s production has not been as steady as Crosby’s, the trade cost and upcoming salary cap bump could have likely allowed the new Dolphin to push for a deal that moves him into the top five at the position. That said, Chubb has a notable injury history and locking in money now protects him from another setback affecting his value.
Hill came to Miami after ripping off a stretch of five straight Pro Bowls as a wideout (the first nod came for returner production); Chubb has one career Pro Bowl. That 2020 honor came for a 7.5-sack season. Chubb also has a 12-sack slate (2018) on his resume, but he has missed 24 career games — mostly due to his 2019 ACL tear and two-ankle-surgery 2021. This contract represents the Dolphins’ belief Chubb will grow into their pass-rushing anchor.
Miami has been active in reshaping its edge rush in recent years. The team brought in Emmanuel Ogbah as a 2020 free agent and gave him a new deal this offseason. The Dolphins drafted Jaelan Phillips in the 2021 first round and signed Melvin Ingram and Trey Flowers this year. This contingent has produced just 15 sacks (T-21st), with Phillips leading the way at three. The Dolphins rank 22nd in points allowed and 23rd in total defense. Chubb comes to south Florida with 5.5 sacks, having shown a full recovery from an injury-marred 2021 season.
Despite this bounce-back effort, the Broncos sold high on the John Elway-era draftee. Denver is 3-5 and almost certainly did not receive an offer of a first-round pick for fellow trade candidate Jerry Jeudy. With the Dolphins stepping up to win these sweepstakes, the Broncos — who traded both their 2023 first- and second-round picks for Russell Wilson — are now in line to pick on the draft’s first day. San Francisco’s finish will determine Denver’s draft slot, with the Dolphins sending the Broncos the 49ers’ 2023 first — obtained in the 2021 swap that gave the 49ers Trey Lance draft real estate — in this exchange. The Dolphins are without a first-round pick next year, seeing its own selection stripped because of the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering penalty.
The Broncos have now traded the likes of Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Miller and Chubb over the past five trade deadlines, becoming one of the league’s consistent sellers. While Thomas, Sanders and Miller were each part of Broncos teams that ventured to the playoffs and Super Bowl 50, Chubb arrived amid the franchise’s endless search for a franchise quarterback. The North Carolina State product also barely played alongside Miller during his tenure, with both players’ injuries limiting their time together before Miller’s 2021 trade to Los Angeles.
Denver’s 2022 outside linebacker moves — signing Randy Gregory, drafting Nik Bonitto in Round 2 and moving inside linebacker Baron Browning to the edge — signaled a possible Chubb departure. The Dolphins’ offer of a first-rounder convinced the team to pull that lever early, passing on a possible 2023 franchise tag. The Broncos are saving money at this position, with Gregory tied only to a $14MM-per-year accord.
During the 2021 offseason, Broncos GM George Paton — an ex-Grier Dolphins coworker in the 2000s — called Chubb a core player. Although the Broncos gauged what it would cost to extend Chubb, the sides are never believed to have negotiated. The Dolphins have now paid up to ensure Chubb is one of their core performers, and the franchise gunning for its first playoff win since 2000 will count on the trade piece to lead the way defensively.
Overpaying kills teams. Chubb has been hype, not production and has significant injuries. Denver watched Chubb for 4 years and decided not to keep him. Perhaps Miami should have considered why.
his injury history is concerning. Hopefully he doesn’t have any more leg injuries going forward.
So now they have one pass rusher with a bloated contract, one pass rusher who cost a first round pick, and another pass rusher who’s both.
The Chubb extension is very similar to the disastrous deal the Fins gave Suh so many years ago and then cut him after 2 season eating $22.2M in dead money.
Flowers has taken 68 snaps this year and is now on IR.
You don’t pay that kind of money to a player who isn’t a difference maker.
Has 26 sacks in his 4+ years in the league! Insane overpay!
When the dust settles I think the Donkos will be viewed as the clear winner to come out of the Chubb trade. What concerns me though, is how Denver is seemingly taking a page out of the Colorado Rockies playbook and dealing away our best players as soon as they are at their most valuable!! As Denver sports fans know all too well, this strategy has been proven year after year to only be successful at gaining some high draft picks, and never translates into winning ballgames!!! I hope I’m wrong here, but it sure reeks of the Montfort’s way of running a pro franchise!! Sad state of affairs!