Broncos OTA Buzz: Bradley Chubb Looking Like he Did as a 12-Sack Rookie
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Given the onslaught of mobile quarterbacks the Denver Broncos will face in the AFC West for the foreseeable future, getting after them with real purpose is paramount. GM George Paton has certainly been proactive in adding more fresh bodies into the mix, with edge rusher Randy Gregory coming complete with a hefty price tag and Nik Bonitto as the Broncos' first pick of the 2022 NFL draft.
Shiny new additions are welcome, but the fifth-year Bradley Chubb will remain pivotal in the unrelenting pursuit of quarterback pressures and sacks. Despite being only 25 years old, Chubb has already seen his fair share of highs and lows during his short career.
Registering a team rookie record with a dozen sacks in 2018 was a real high. Since then, however, serious ACL and ankle injuries have served up a veritable platter of painful lows, with a lone Pro Bowl nod in 2020 sandwiched in between.
Chubb has been playing on his surgically-repaired ankle during Broncos OTAs as he attempts to fill the shoes of Von Miller. Fellow defensive lineman Mike Purcell is witnessing a rejuvenated Chubb in his explosive teammate and said he looks a lot like he did back when he was a rookie.
“You can tell that he’s comfortable. Last year with the ankle—even coming around the edge—he would say that he could feel it,” Purcell said this week. “But now, you can see him coming around that edge and it’s nothing. He can bend, he can move, so he’s looking how he was his rookie year.”
Purcell isn't the only one who is feeling confident that with injuries behind him, Chubb can return to his previous form. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett was low-key when asked about his star pass rusher returning to his old self.
But, Hackett put his offensive coordinator hat on when he insisted that the former top-5 draft pick is doing all the right things to ensure he becomes a dominant force once again.
“He’s done a really good job,” Hackett said on Monday. “He’s starting to feel it a little bit, both his pass rushing and his ability to stop the run. He’s a force. When he knows what he’s doing, he’s definitely somebody we would have to take account for.”
Most importantly, Chubb feels deep down that he is successfully juggling the challenges of both his injury rehab and maturing into a seasoned NFL veteran. Having missed so much significant time, it's extremely hard to acquire the on-field wisdom required of a true professional when you’re confined by the walls of the trainer's room.
Finding a formula that truly works for him as an individual has taken some soul searching that has challenged Chubb mentally. Thankfully, now that he’s discovered the special sauce, he’s doubling down on what’s been working for him this offseason because he genuinely believes he is finally through the rehab process.
“The beginning of it was challenging for me,” Chubb admitted. “It was the first time in this position where I wasn’t worried about recovering from an injury or worried about this or that. For the first couple of weeks, I was trying to figure out what makes me, me. What things can I do to make me feel good [that will help me] come into different workouts feeling my best? I got that formula, and I’ve been sticking with that ever since.”
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