Bradley Chubb trade grades for Dolphins, Broncos: Miami goes all-in, acquires Pro Bowl edge rusher

The Miami Dolphins are acquiring Pro Bowl edge rusher Bradley Chubb from the Broncos. Miami will send Denver its 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 fourth-round pick and running back Chase Edmonds. The Broncos are tossing in a 2025 fifth-round pick as part of the deal. 

The first-round pick is actually the one acquired from San Francisco as part of the Trey Lance deal. The Dolphins no longer have a first-round pick after their own was forfeited as a result of the Tom Brady tampering investigation.

Days earlier, Denver general manager George Paton referred to the pass rusher as a “core” player.

“You know how much we like Bradley. We want to keep all of our core players, and Bradley is one of our core players.”  

Miami reportedly intends to work out a long-term contract extension with Chubb, who is playing on his fifth-year option. According to Spotrac.com, the N.C. State product has a market value of $13.3 million annually.

The former No. 5 overall selection has recorded 26 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass deflection this season. Over the course of his four-plus year career, he has amassed 26 sacks, six forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception. 

In his absence, Denver will increase repetitions for Nik Bonitto, Baron Browning and Jonathan Cooper opposite Randy Gregory. Edmonds, who is under contract through the 2023 season, joins a backfield with Melvin Gordon III and Latavius Murray. Javonte Williams was lost for the season with a torn ACL in early October.

Edmonds, who was in his first season with the team after being signed from Arizona, has had 42 carries for 120 yards and touchdowns, as well as 10 receptions for 96 yards and one touchdown. He entered the league as a fourth-round pick out of Fordham in 2018. Miami is replacing Edmonds with Jeff Wilson Jr., who they reportedly acquired from the 49ers shortly after trading for Chubb.

The Dolphins are currently in second place in the AFC East with a 5-3 record. They have the 11th fewest sacks (15) in the league. Second-year pass rusher Jaelan Phillips leads the team with three.

Denver, comparatively, has a 3-5 record and resides in third place of the AFC West.

Trade grades

Broncos: B 

From Denver’s perspective, the trade of Chubb is a curious move. The season has not gone as expected with new quarterback Russell Wilson but initiating a rebuild while carrying such a steep contract is counter-intuitive. The Broncos need all the help they can get and Chubb plays a premier position. Plus, San Francisco is likely to make the playoffs so the first-round pick they received from the Dolphins in return will almost certainly be in the 20s or worse. With that being said, Denver may have some insight into the 26-year-old not being worth what it would have had to pay on a new contract.

Dolphins: B

Miami paid a significant price for the right to pay the young edge rusher. The move is a commitment to the path on which the Dolphins are headed, which is respectable. Chubb has recorded 26 sacks in 49 games, which is another way of saying he has missed 24 games since being taken No. 5 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.