Bradley Chubb

Chiefs Pursuing Edge Rusher, Monitoring Jaguars DE Josh Allen

November 1st, 2022 at 11:24am CST by Sam Robinson

Again nearing a midseason point as of the NFL’s best teams, the Chiefs have already made a pre-deadline move by acquiring Kadarius Toney. But pass rusher appears to be the AFC West frontrunners’ premier goal.

Kansas City has inquired on Jacksonville defensive end Josh Allen, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. Teams are believed to be monitoring the fourth-year defensive end ahead of the deadline, though nothing has indicated the Jaguars are holding a bidding war despite their 2-6 record.

Bradley Chubb is also on the Chiefs’ radar, according to Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero. Given Chubb’s Broncos employment, that would be an unrealistic pursuit. The Chiefs, who have Frank Clark on a year-to-year arrangement at this point, could pursue Chubb if he hits free agency in 2023. But the Broncos (or another team that acquires Chubb on Tuesday) would have the franchise tag available.

As for Allen, he is now playing in a third defensive scheme in three years. The Dave Caldwell-era draftee has three sacks and 12 QB hits through eight games this season. A former No. 7 overall pick and rookie-year Pro Bowler, Allen is under contract for two more seasons. The Jags picked up his fifth-year option in May.

No substantive extension talks are believed to have taken place between Allen and the Jaguars just yet, but while the Broncos have discussed Chubb with several teams, the Jags might not be there with Allen. The 25-year-old defender could profile as a long-term Jags piece, with a big-ticket extension pairing with Travon Walker‘s rookie contract.

With the Jags two regimes removed from the one that drafted Allen, he is worth monitoring as a stealth trade candidate ahead of today’s 3pm CT deadline. Chubb is the likelier player to move, and the Panthers have all but shut down trade inquiries for Brian Burns.

The Chiefs will return from their Week 8 bye with Clark suspended. Gun charges led to a two-game Clark ban, and the former tag-and-trade acquisition has been inconsistent in Kansas City. The Chiefs have already allocated 2022 resources to augmenting their pass rush, however, drafting George Karlaftis in Round 1 and signing Carlos Dunlap. In seven starts, Karlaftis has registered just a half-sack and one QB hit. Dunlap has two QB drops but is in his age-33 season.

Broncos Seeking Two First-Rounders For OLB Bradley Chubb?

November 1st, 2022 at 10:54am CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos have both been linked to wanting a first-rounder and change for Bradley Chubb and receiving an offer headlined by a Round 1 choice. Less than five hours ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, the fifth-year veteran remains a Bronco. It is worth wondering if the team is genuinely interested in moving on.

Denver GM George Paton is believed to be seeking two first-round picks for Chubb, according to Armando Salguero of Outkick.com. Several teams are interested, but it would surprise if one of them met that asking price. Only a handful of defenders — a list that includes All-Pros Khalil Mack, Jalen Ramsey and Jamal Adams over the past four years — have been traded for packages including multiple first-rounders. The Panthers are believed to have received an offer of two firsts for Brian Burns. That could be impacting the Broncos’ Chubb talks.

More than 10 teams have discussed Chubb with the Broncos, Salguero adds. This list includes the Jets, who were linked along with the Dolphins as being a team considering parting with a first-rounder for the former Pro Bowler. But Salguero notes Gang Green is not believed to be a serious suitor at this point. New York features solid defensive line depth, rostering Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers and Vinny Curry outside.

Paton has told teams he can keep Chubb and extend him at a later point, per Salguero. This could double as a negotiating tactic. Chubb, 26, has expressed interest in re-signing with the Broncos, and the team has explored what it would cost to retain the contract-year edge defender. The ex-North Carolina State standout is playing of a fifth-year option worth $12.7MM. His second contract will come in north of $20MM per year.

Denver can indeed circle back to Chubb in 2023, but the team has some edge depth with Randy Gregory, Baron Browning and second-round rookie Nik Bonitto. It would be interesting to see the team pass on a first-round pick for a somewhat injury-prone player. Chubb missed a chunk of last season due to multiple ankle surgeries and was sidelined for most of 2019 (ACL tear).

The Broncos are facing a decision of passing on a big offer at the deadline, but they can still obtain value for Chubb — if a trade is the endgame — in a tag-and-trade scenario. The Seahawks played it this way with Frank Clark, receiving a package headlined by a first-rounder in March 2019. Of course, the Seahawks (feat. Russell Wilson) were contending at the 2018 deadline and had no reason to deal Clark at that point. Denver’s first Wilson-centered team has struggled, and its 3-5 record led to multiple big names — the other being Jerry Jeudy — coming up in trade talks.

A tag-and-trade scenario also would require the Broncos to carry Chubb’s tag price into free agency. This could be acceptable for the AFC West team, with Wilson’s $49MM-per-year contract not moving into its monster cap figures until 2024. Wilson is on Denver’s 2023 books at $22MM.

Broncos Mandating First-Round Pick For Bradley Chubb?

October 31st, 2022 at 11:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Multiple reports have connected the Broncos to a trade involving a first-round pick for Bradley Chubb, in the event they end up dealing the fifth-year edge rusher. The Broncos may now be insistent on a first-rounder coming back.

Denver is setting a first-rounder as the Chubb starting point, according to Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero, who adds the team is telling teams it must offer a first and then some to pry Chubb away. The former Von Miller sidekick is in a contract year, like Miller was in 2022. While expectations were higher for the 2022 Broncos compared to 2021, they are 3-5 ahead of Tuesday’s deadline and again in position to make a seller’s trade.

The first-round price comes in north of what a report last week indicated Chubb would likely cost. A second- and third-round package, which Miller fetched last year, was viewed as the likeliest Chubb price. But the Dolphins and Jets have since been linked to the former No. 5 overall pick. The AFC East teams, who are each gunning for playoff spots for the first time in years, have been linked to being interested to the point a first-rounder would be exchanged. A Sunday-morning report also indicated the Broncos have received an offer including a first-rounder for Chubb, putting the team to a big-picture decision.

The Broncos have gauged the cost of a Chubb extension, according to Albert Breer of SI.com, but no talks of a new deal are believed to have taken place. Chubb, 26, has expressed a desire to stay in Denver beyond 2022, but he said from London he has not made bye-week plans due to the Broncos’ trade talks. Although injuries have depleted the 2022 Broncos’ outside linebacker depth, they have Randy Gregory, Baron Browning and second-round rookie Nik Bonitto signed long term.

No edge defender has garnered a first-rounder via trade since the Chiefs acquired Frank Clark from the Seahawks in April 2019. That move came with Clark on a franchise tag and before he had made a Pro Bowl. Chubb earned such a nod in 2020 and has a 12-sack season (as a rookie in 2018) on his resume. This would be a steep price to pay for a rental, but an acquiring team would have exclusive Chubb negotiating rights until March 2023. A 2023 tag — surely a Broncos consideration as well — would be in an acquiring team’s back pocket.

Chubb’s age compared to Miller’s likely has led to a first-rounder being in the equation. The Broncos also can use the John Elway-era draftee to recoup draft capital they lost in the Russell Wilson trade. The Wilson trade leaves Denver without 2023 first- or second-round picks, and the quarterback’s $49MM-per-year extension will make high-end investments elsewhere on the roster more difficult. Gregory is signed to a $14MM-per-year deal, while Browning and Bonitto are on rookie pacts. Chubb would be expected to sign for well north of $20MM per annum.

Still, the Broncos have not committed to dealing Chubb, per Salguero, who notes such a move would be a clear sign the team is punting on 2022. The prospect of other teams’ offers falling short of the Broncos’ asking price also looms. It would then be interesting to see if the Broncos would accept a lesser haul to bolster its 2023 draft arsenal or just ride it out with Chubb and reassess the situation ahead of the 2023 league year.

The team is not expected to part with Jerry Jeudy or K.J. Hamler, who are each under contract in 2023. But a Jeudy trade is not completely off the table, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, who adds tight end Albert Okwuegbunam is carrying next to no trade value. The Broncos have buried Okwuegbunam on their depth chart in recent weeks and would likely accept just about any draft capital to move him.

Jets, Dolphins Eyeing Bradley Chubb

October 31st, 2022 at 9:09am CST by Adam La Rose

With less than 48 hours remaining until the trade deadline, the interest shown in some of the top available players continues to heat up. A pair of serious suitors has been identified in the case of one big-name pass rusher.

A league GM informs NBC Sports’ Peter King that the Jets and Dolphins are “interested” in acquiring Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb. He adds that both teams could be willing to part ways with a first-round pick to land the 26-year-old, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

While that fact has made Chubb a prime trade candidate amidst the Broncos’ unexpected struggles, it also makes a Day 1 selection a steep price to pay for a midseason rental. For that reason, King adds, a deal involving a first-rounder would only be consummated if an extension were to be in place. It was reported last week that second- and third-round picks were likely to end up being the price for the former No. 5 pick – just as they were last season for Von Miller.

From a financial standpoint, both Miami and New York would need to undertake in some financial maneuvering to land Chubb. The Dolphins and Jets rank mid-pack in terms of current cap space, and neither has the room to fully absorb the $7.1MM remaining in Chubb’s 2022 compensation. Small extensions and/or restructures could open the door to a deal being possible, though.

Chubb has enjoyed a resurgent 2022 season, one in which Denver’s defense has played as one of the league’s elite units. He has 5.5 sacks, a welcomed sight after he was held without one last season. Ankle surgery limited him to seven games played in 2021, adding further to his injury troubles (resulting in 24 missed games across his first four NFL seasons).

Yesterday’s win over the Jaguars may have eased concerns about the Broncos’ offense and head coach Nathaniel Hackett‘s job status slightly, but at 3-5 the team could still very well find themselves in selling mode over the next two days. Denver is reportedly willing to move a number of players, a list which could include not only Chubb but also wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, running back Melvin Gordon and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. Regardless of the market for those players, however, an enticing offer for Chubb could be coming soon.

Chiefs, Rams Expected To Pursue Pass Rushing Help

October 30th, 2022 at 7:58am CST by Rory Parks

The Chiefs and Rams are involved in the Brandin Cooks market, and both clubs are also seeking upgrades to their pass rushing contingent. Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Kansas City and Los Angeles would like to add a pass rusher prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline.

The most notable pass rusher that has the best chance of being moved within the next several days appears to be Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com classifies the 2-5 Broncos as the most likely team to make a trade, and he further reports that one club has offered Denver a package headlined by a first-round pick in exchange for Chubb. Even though two of Chubb’s first four professional seasons were marred by injury, his fifth season has proven that, when healthy, he is one of the game’s better edge defenders. Through seven games in 2022, he has posted 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

As Jones points out, Denver would almost certainly not trade Chubb to the division-rival Chiefs, though the Rams would be a viable trade partner. LA, however, lacks a 2023 first-round pick due to last year’s Matthew Stafford trade, so it remains to be seen if it would be able to present Broncos GM George Paton with a winning offer. Jones says the Rams, as is their custom, are willing to trade future first-rounders.

Since Chubb is in the final year of his rookie contract, any acquiring club would want to work out a contract extension with him, according to Schefter. Of course, if Paton holds onto Chubb, he would want to come to terms on a multi-year pact as well (as Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes, Chubb is amenable to a contract that keeps him in the Mile High City for the long haul). Regardless of where he ends up, Chubb’s next deal is expected to pay him more than $20MM on an annual basis.

Other pass rushers that could be available for the Chiefs and Rams include players like the Panthers’ Brian Burns and the Jaguars’ Josh Allen. Jones echoes recent reports that Carolina seems unwilling to move Burns, and the NFL.com trio of Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo report that Jacksonville wants to retain Allen, whom it views as a foundational piece.

While Chubb could be dealt, Schefter says the Broncos do not plan to trade wideouts Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, meanwhile, is still likely to be traded, per Troy Renck of Denver 7 (via Twitter). The asking price on Okwuegbunam is “minimal.”

Bradley Chubb Trade Price Expected To Include Day 2 Picks?

October 27th, 2022 at 1:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jeudy and Bradley Chubb have become two of this year’s top trade candidates. Jeudy is contracted beyond 2022, with a possible fifth-year option pickup opening the door to the deal running through 2024. But Chubb is in a walk year. He may be more likely to be moved.

It is uncertain if the Broncos will cut ties with Chubb, who is having a bounce-back season and represents a key part of a top-tier defense that suddenly has edge rusher availability issues. Randy Gregory is on IR, and Baron Browning is expected to miss several weeks due to a hip injury. But teams continue to monitor Chubb, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter), and his trade value may mirror longtime teammate Von Miller‘s.

The Broncos, whose pass rush was without Chubb (ankle surgery) at last year’s trade deadline, dealt Miller to the Rams for second- and third-round picks. If they move Chubb this year, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes the expected price is believed to be second- and third-rounders. A first-rounder would also be in play here, Renck adds, though that would be a steep price for a player who has battled major injury issues in two of his five seasons.

Chubb could be a tool for the Broncos to bolster their 2023 draft arsenal, which the Russell Wilson trade depleted. Denver lacks first- and second-round picks next year. Wilson’s contract does not spike to monster cap figures until 2024, potentially opening the door to a Chubb 2023 franchise tag. But the Broncos have made other investments on the edge since Paton took over. They gave Gregory a five-year, $70MM contract, have converted inside linebacker Browning signed through 2024 and drafted Nik Bonitto in Round 2 this year. Browning’s injury opens the door for extensive Bonitto playing time.

The other side of this would be punting on a possible future with Chubb, who has proven to be one of the NFL’s better edges when healthy. He has 5.5 sacks this season. Chubb registered a career-high 12 sacks as a rookie — his only extended stretch alongside Miller, who missed the 2020 season — and made the Pro Bowl in 2020. Chubb, 26, tore an ACL early in the 2019 season and underwent two ankle surgeries last year, leading to a zero-sack campaign. This up-and-down history stands to impact his trade value, as does his fifth-year option salary ($12.7MM). The Broncos ate most of Miller’s 2021 salary to up the compensation; they would likely be open to a similar arrangement with Chubb.

GM George Paton said Thursday calls have come in for players. Paton, who was not with the Broncos when they drafted Chubb fifth overall in 2018, said last year Chubb was a core player. He labeled Chubb as such today in London. But the team’s edge rusher decisions this year and potential to recoup multiple Day 2 picks could be too tempting to pass up.

“I’ll keep that with Bradley [Chubb] and his agent,” Paton said of trade talks (via NFL.com’s James Palmer, on Twitter). “You know how much we like Bradley. We want to keep all of our core players, and he’s one of our core players.”

As they were with Miller, the Rams could be in play for the future Hall of Famer’s former sidekick. They have not been able to replace Miller since he bolted for Buffalo and pursued Brian Burns. After the Eagles acquired Quinn, Chubb could be of interest to a team that has made in-season deals for pass rushers twice (Miller in 2021, Dante Fowler in 2018) during Sean McVay‘s tenure.

Broncos’ Bradley Chubb Drawing Trade Interest; Baron Browning To Miss Time

October 24th, 2022 at 6:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the more disappointing teams in recent memory, the Broncos have now lost four in a row. Despite hiring an offensive-minded head coach (Nathaniel Hackett), Denver’s offense ranks last in scoring (14.3 points per game). As a result of this offense-geared losing skid, vultures are circling.

Jerry Jeudy‘s name continues to come up in trade rumors, and Troy Renck of Denver7 adds (via Twitter) teams are interested in Bradley Chubb as well. While Jeudy can be controlled through 2024 via the fifth-year option, Chubb is playing on his fifth-year option ($12.7MM). His contract expires in March. Considering where the Broncos’ season has headed, it is certainly unsurprising to see teams show interest in a contract-year pass rusher.

Denver stockpiled an edge-rushing surplus this offseason, but that has deteriorated over the past few weeks. The depth led the Broncos to trade Malik Reed to the Steelers before setting their 53-man roster, but injuries have hit this position group hard. Randy Gregory remains on IR due to arthroscopic knee surgery, and the Broncos placed backup Aaron Patrick on IR recently. He is out for the season. Baron Browning, who has thrived after moving from inside to outside linebacker this offseason, left Sunday’s game with an injury. Browning is expected to miss several weeks because of the hip injury sustained, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

With Gregory on IR and Browning perhaps headed there, the Broncos would seemingly have a tough time unloading Chubb. The former No. 5 overall pick has battled injuries during his career — one that saw minimal contributions in 2019 and 2021 due to knee and ankle trouble, respectively — but may be a candidate for the franchise tag come March. Chubb, 26, is enjoying a bounce-back contract year; he has a team-high 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles through seven games. Chubb’s re-emergence has helped the Broncos maintain a top-tier defense; the unit sits in the top three in points and yards allowed.

Gregory is under contract through 2026, at just $14MM per year, but the longtime Cowboy has now undergone three surgeries this year. His replacement, Browning, is under contract through 2024 and has shown bright flashes since being moved to the edge. The Broncos have rookie second-rounder Nik Bonitto and 2021 seventh-round pick Jonathan Cooper as its top backup edge defenders. The former stands to start in Browning’s place opposite Chubb in Week 8.

Given Gregory and Browning’s contract statuses and the price Chubb figures to command on his second deal, the Broncos entertaining offers would not surprise. They are 2-5 and have obtained value for high-profile pieces at recent trade deadlines. Denver dealt Super Bowl 50 cogs Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Von Miller from 2018-21. The Miller deal helped the Broncos trade for Russell Wilson, but that swap stripped the team of first- and second-round picks in 2023. A Chubb trade would be a way accumulate a Day 2 pick the team lost from the Wilson deal, but it also would mean bailing on a future with the North Carolina State product.

As for Jeudy, Renck notes the third-year wideout continues to generate interest (Twitter link). The Broncos are hesitant to trade the former first-rounder, whom Renck notes is close with Wilson. Denver is tied to Wilson through at least 2025, and Jeudy would seemingly profile as a building-block player around the high-priced quarterback next year compared to a trade asset. The Broncos have Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick under long-term contract, on deals ($15MM and $10MM per year, respectively) that look rather team-friendly given where the receiver market went in 2022. Jeudy becomes extension-eligible in 2023. This year’s trade deadline falls on Nov. 1, and the Broncos will now be one of the teams to watch.

Latest On Broncos LB Bradley Chubb

July 5th, 2022 at 6:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a lost season in 2021, Bradley Chubb is ready to return to form during the 2022 campaign. With the Broncos linebacker facing free agency following the upcoming season, reestablishing himself as a Pro Bowler could go a long way in him earning a lucrative second contract. Speaking to Troy Renck of TheDenverChannel.com, Chubb said he believes the 2022 season will be a bounce-back year.

“I feel it for sure,” Chubb said. “It was one of those things that you go through so much, you know what I mean? The dam has to break at some point,” Chubb said. “I feel like things have been building up and building up and it’s finally time to let it all out.”

Chubb had ankle surgery last offseason, delaying his participation in training camp. He hurt his other ankle toward the end of preseason, and after an attempt to play through the pain early in the season, the linebacker went under the knife a second time. However, the 26-year-old has been able to return to his normal routine this offseason, and he’s confident a proper offseason and preseason will prepare him well for the upcoming campaign.

“It’s been huge, to be honest with you, just because I am not worried, ‘Is this going to be OK?'” Chubb said. “You have the mindset that, ‘I am good and I am just going to attack everyday like it’s my last,’ and that’s what I have been doing this offseason, and it’s been working out for me.”

In only seven games last season, Chubb finished with 21 tackles and zero sacks. He was also limited to only four games during his sophomore campaign. However, in his two healthy seasons (in 2018 and 2020), the linebacker collected 19.5 sacks. If he can return to that form, he can expect a lucrative contract next offseason. At the very least, he could be destined for the franchise tag, which was valued around $18.7MM this offseason. Chubb will earn $13.9MM during his fifth-year-option year in 2022.

Chubb is projected to not only enter the coming season healthier than any of the past three, but with his starting spot assured. He will join free agent signee Randy Gregory as the team’s top pass rushers.

How Will Broncos Proceed With Crowded OLB Corps?

June 8th, 2022 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Visions of a long-term Von Miller–Bradley Chubb edge partnership mostly proved fleeting for the Broncos, who saw injuries sideline at least one member of this tandem for most of its three-plus-season tenure. The 2018 season, when Miller and his then-rookie sidekick combined for 26.5 sacks, turned into a mirage.

The Broncos’ 2022 contingent of edge rushers presents intrigue, even if it is the first in 12 years not to include the best pass rusher in franchise history. Denver’s Miller trade allowed the team to finish stockpiling its cast of pass rushers, bringing second- and third-round 2022 picks, but with only Randy Gregory locked in as a long-term starter (and given Gregory’s history, that classification might be premature), how the team proceeds with this crew will be interesting ahead of what promises to be a high-profile division race.

Gregory signed a five-year, $70MM deal in March, backing out of a Cowboys agreement at the last minute due to contract language. Suspended four times as a pro, Gregory showed considerable promise during his final Dallas season. If that form is a true indicator of the former second-rounder’s form, the Broncos having him signed to a $14MM-per-year deal will age well as the salary cap’s rise has pushed edge rusher salaries toward the $30MM-AAV mark. Gregory, whose drug suspensions could give him a “young 29” presence, carries boom-or-bust potential. From a roster-building standpoint, more questions surround his supporting cast.

Chubb made the Pro Bowl in 2020, despite accumulating just 7.5 sacks and one forced fumble, and racked up 12 sacks as a rookie. But the two ankle surgeries he underwent last year brought limitations and questions about his future in Denver. (Chubb also sustained an ACL tear in 2019.) George Paton identified the former top-five pick as a core player, and while those comments came before the ankle trouble limited Chubb to seven games in a zero-sack season, the second-year GM expressed Chubb confidence again this year. Paton did extend 2018 second-round pick Courtland Sutton, whom he also called a core talent last year, after an ACL tear. Chubb, 26 later this month, will enter a high-stakes contract year, with Paton reorganizing the team’s edge-rushing stable after the February vote of confidence.

An extension path may still exist for Chubb. Gregory’s AAV checks in just 22nd among edge defenders, and the Chargers and Raiders each have two edges earning north of $17MM per year. But that prospect is murkier than it was last year at this time. Had Chubb not been a first-round pick, he may already be signed to a lucrative deal. The fifth-year option allowed the Broncos to wait, and the team will have cheaper options to flank Gregory beyond 2022 — when Russell Wilson will be playing on a top-market contract.

Denver rosters Malik Reed, a former UDFA who has seen extensive run (34 starts) due to Chubb and Miller’s injuries, and used its top draft choice on Oklahoma edge Nik Bonitto (64th overall). The team also has ex-Ohio State teammates Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning. Cooper fell to Round 7 because of a heart issue (one that did not keep him out of games last season) and flashed a bit after the Miller trade. The Broncos curiously moved Browning from inside linebacker — where they are much thinner. A 2021 third-rounder, Browning started nine games inside as a rookie.

It will be difficult for the team to roster all six, and its recent penchant for UDFA edge success (Reed, Shaq Barrett) creates a path for Christopher Allen, a 2020 Alabama contributor who missed last season due to a foot injury. The Broncos gave Allen $180K to sign after the draft.

Also in a contract year, Reed has registered 13 sacks over the past two seasons. Though lesser-known than Chubb, Reed profiles as an extension candidate himself. The Broncos would probably stand to save by extending Reed over Chubb, who also looms as a 2023 franchise tag option. Chubb staying healthy this season could create a clear value gap between the two. Denver also has defensive end starter Dre’Mont Jones going into a walk year, creating an unsettled post-2022 mix beyond Gregory and Bonitto.

With Paton-era OLB investments behind Reed, would the Broncos consider trading the frequent fill-in starter ahead of his contract year? They only gave Reed the low-end RFA tender ($2.4MM) in March. That price and Reed’s recent production could be attractive for teams with thinner edge cadres. Chubb is tied to a $12.7MM option salary. A mix of Gregory, Chubb and Reed would limit Bonitto’s rookie-year time. But injuries could obviously change that.

The Broncos faced a surplus situation at cornerback last year but refrained from dealing into it, despite teams showing interest. Chubb’s injury history could prompt Denver to carry an extra outside linebacker on its 53-man roster. Browning’s ability to play on the inside would seemingly represent insurance for an iffy group of inside ‘backers as well. But carrying six edges is on the high end for 3-4 teams.

However the Broncos decide to proceed here, their moving parts on the edge should be a situation to monitor as the revitalized team attempts to compete against high-powered offenses. How that effort goes, particularly from the John Elway-era holdover rushers, will determine how the franchise chooses to complement Gregory beyond 2022.

Latest On Bradley Chubb

April 15th, 2022 at 10:56am CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos have had a busy offseason so far, but they face an important decision in the near future. Edge rusher Bradley Chubb is set to play on his fifth-year option this season, which will likely play a large role in determining his future. As noted by Nick Kosmider of the Athletic, the 25-year-old isn’t concerned with his contract status.

“I know I didn’t put my best foot forward last year on the field” he said. “My goal is to play 17 games and win as many as possible. That [contract] stuff is gonna come… my thing is tunnel vision, looking forward and just trying to help this team win.”

The fifth-overall pick in the 2018 draft, Chubb had a promising start to his NFL career. He posted 12 sacks – the most in franchise history for a rookie – during his inaugural campaign. That remains the only year in which he was available for every game in a season, however, as injuries have prevented him from following-up on that initial success.

Chubb underwent a second ankle surgery during the past season, after an offseason procedure wasn’t sufficient to correct the issue. As a result, he was limited to seven games. The lack of production during that span (he was held without a sack) adds to the uncertainty surrounding the 2022 campaign. The NC State product has alternated between effective and injury-riddled years so far.

Chubb will have plenty of opportunities to return to form. He is projected to not only enter the coming season healthier than any of the past three, but with his starting spot assured. He will join with free agent signee Randy Gregory as the team’s top pass rushers, as the Broncos move forward in the post-Von Miller era. A productive campaign could earn him a sizeable long-term deal, or at least a highly-valued franchise tag. More injury troubles, on the other hand, would leave his future much murkier; Chubb’s play will thus be a key storyline to watch.

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