GM George Paton Believes OLB Bradley Chubb Will Return to 'Pro Bowl Level' in 2022

The Denver Broncos need more out of fifth-year rush linebacker Bradley Chubb. Outside of his prolific first-year campaign wherein he fell just 2.5 sacks shy of tying the all-time rookie sack record, each season has seen some misfortune befall Chubb, limiting his impact.

Broncos GM George Paton recognizes that but remains very high on Chubb and the possibility of everything coming together for the former No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

“I’m very confident [in him]. He had two minor—they weren’t minor to him—but he had two minor surgeries on the foot," Paton said on Tuesday from the NFL Combine. "That held him back this year. He was never healthy."

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Chubb's bad luck with the injury bug has frustrated Broncos fans. Although injuries aren't something a player can control, Chubb's inability to stay healthy has created a bit of a reputation within Broncos Country.

Although he missed 10 games last year due to a lower-leg/foot injury, he appeared in seven contests. Chubb failed to notch even one sack.

This came on the heels of Chubb's first Pro Bowl nod in 2020, which was slightly mystifying because he only notched 7.5 sacks in what was frankly a middling year on the edge with Von Miller on injured reserve the entire season. However, because Chubb got that all-star recognition, hopes were high that he'd build on it in 2021.

It didn't shake out that way because of injuries. But Paton views the coming 2022 campaign differently for Chubb because, for the first time since perhaps his rookie year, he's healthy.

"Going into the offseason, this is the first time Bradley is going to be healthy in, I believe, three years," Paton said. "When he’s healthy, we all know he can play at a Pro Bowl level. I’m really excited. I think I said this before [but] I really respect Bradley fighting through the injuries and finishing strong. We play Kansas City, it doesn’t mean anything, really for anyone except our team, and you saw how Bradley played that game. I’m really encouraged. I think he’s going to get back to that Pro Bowl level.”

When a GM is hyping up a player with verbiage like "Pro Bowl level," especially one as pragmatic and circumspect as Paton, that's cause for optimism. However, the rule for Chubb has been injuries. Staying healthy has been the exception.

Broncos fans have seen just one healthy year from Chubb and just as Paton said, he played at a Pro Bowl level with 12 sacks as a rookie. Playing on the fifth-year option Paton exercised in his first few months as GM, Chubb will earn $13.9 million in 2022.

Perhaps this is Paton trying to will a "Pro Bowl level" Chubb into existence considering the Broncos are on the hook for that entire $13.9M nut, regardless of whether he stays healthy. That's the cynic in me.

The optimist wants to buy Paton's hype and wants to believe Chubb can and will stay healthy finally. Time will tell.

Through four seasons, the 26-year-old Chubb has produced 20.5 sacks (12 of which came his rookie year), 50 QB hits, 29 tackles for a loss, and one interception (off Patrick Mahomes last year as Paton highlighted). Chubb is still young enough to turn the ship around and really storm back onto the NFL scene.

He just needs a little luck from the predations of the injury bug.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.

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