How Bradley Chubb Will Impact Dolphins Defense
New Miami Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb has an opportunity to be the team’s first true star at the position since the departure of Cameron Wake.
The Dolphins made a big splash before the NFL’s trade deadline Tuesday by trading for Chubb.
The team shipped off Chase Edmonds, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Miami then doubled down on its investment by giving Chubb a five-year, $110 million contract extension with incentives that could push the contract’s value to just less than $112 million.
With Chubb being such a big name and Miami investing so much money and draft capital into him, we’ve decided to dive into some of Chubb’s stats to see how he can help the Dolphins against the pass and the run for this season and beyond.
How Can Chubb Help Miami’s Pass Rush?
Chubb’s pedigree always has been that of a potent pass-rush threat. It’s the reason Denver selected him fifth overall in the 2018 NFL draft, and it’s where he’ll help Miami the most.
When looking at Chubb’s raw production, it can seem underwhelming. He’s recorded 26 sacks, with a career-high 12 in his rookie season, during the last four and half years.
However, it’s important to note Chubb missed most of the 2019 season with an ACL injury and a lot of the 2021 season with bone spurs in his ankles.
Chubb has played in only 49 games for his career, so while 26 sacks don’t look like a lot, he’s been productive when on the field.
For reference, Dolphins pass rusher Emmanuel Ogbah has recorded 27.5 sacks in the last four and half years despite playing 64 games during that time span. Chubb is simply just a more dynamic, proven threat than what Miami has right now.
Additionally, it’s important to note sacks are not the best way to judge pass rushers. Sacks can be created by scheme or aided by poor pocket management from quarterbacks.
Chubb ranks third in the entire NFL in ESPN’s pass rush win rate. He’s beating the player across from him on 27 percent of his pass rush attempts. That puts him in the same stratosphere as players like Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and Dallas’ Micah Parsons.
Obviously, that many pass rush wins will help Miami on its own, but Jaelan Phillips ranks 10th in pass rush win rate. This means opposing teams can’t double-team Chubb and Phillips. They have to worry about both, which will create more one-on-one opportunities for the whole defensive line.
The ability to create more one-on-one pass rush matchups is truly where Chubb can benefit the entire Dolphins defense the most.
Miami has the sixth-highest blitz rate in the league and nine of their 15 combined sacks have come when they’ve sent five or more rushers after the quarterback, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Put simply, the Dolphins are too reliant on blitzing to create sacks. This puts pressure on Miami’s linebackers and secondary — the Dolphins defense ranks 26th in passing yards allowed per game — because they need to cover with fewer players.
Chubb’s ability to win his matchups so consistently should allow Miami to blitz less and give some relief to the Dolphins’ struggling, injured secondary.
Miami will still blitz more than most teams, and Chubb fits perfectly into that approach as well. He has experience playing as both an outside linebacker and defensive end. This means he’s capable of moving around the line and standing up in different gaps.
That’s still a hallmark of Miami’s defense, so Chubb’s versatility will only make that facet of the Dolphins scheme better.
Chubb’s impact as a pass rusher will go beyond the box score. His mere presence will force offenses to attack Miami’s defense differently.
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Chubb’s Impact Against the Run
While Chubb isn’t thought of as a potent run defender, he seems to have improved his production against the run this season.
Miami’s scheme still puts an emphasis on defensive linemen and outside linebackers being capable run defenders. Chubb has a 76.6 PFF grade against the run, putting him on track to finish with a grade higher than 70 for the first time.
This is backed up by his film from this season. Chubb has done a better job anchoring against offensive linemen, and he’s still explosive enough to create negative plays.
Chubb has seven tackles for loss against the run this season, which was third on the Broncos and will place him second on the Dolphins, according to SIS.
He also ranks 12th in the NFL in run stops — a tackle that results in a failed play for the offense — with 11.
Some of Chubb’s advanced stats do point to some weaknesses in the running game.
He ranked second-to-last on the Broncos in Points Saved per play with 0.61 among players with at least 10 tackles, according to SIS. That number would also slate him second-to-last on the Dolphins right behind Duke Riley but ahead of Jerome Baker.
Chubb has been more productive as a run defender this season, but his overall impact on a per-play basis seems to be minimal.
Chubb likely will never become an elite run defender. However, he’s proven this season he’s at least capable of holding his own. This should allow defensive coordinator Josh Boyer to feel comfortable leaving Chubb on the field at all times.
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