Broncos trade Bradley Chubb to Dolphins for 1st-round pick, more
ENGLEWOOD — Bradley Chubb is headed to Miami.
In a blockbuster trade hours before the NFL trade deadline, The Gazette confirmed the Broncos traded the star outside linebacker and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 fourth-round pick and running back Chase Edmonds. The first-round pick will be via the San Francisco 49ers, which had previously traded the pick to the Dolphins. That would currently be the 20th overall pick in the 2023 draft.
“Decisions like this aren’t easy,” Broncos GM George Paton said. “Ultimately, we have to do what’s best for the team and we don’t make this decision if we’re not confident in the players and coaches on our team.
“The draft value we received was significant. We just felt it was too good to pass up.”
Paton added that the trade talks with Miami heated up Tuesday morning, after he originally anticipated the deal not getting done.
Here’s the full trade breakdown:
The Broncos receive: 2023 first rounder, 2024 fourth rounder, RB Chase Edmonds
The Dolphins receive: OLB Bradley Chubb, 2025 fifth-rounder
The Broncos selected Chubb with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 draft, totaling 26 sacks in 49 games played. Chubb made his lone Pro Bowl in 2020 and showed potential to be one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. But he also suffered several injuries, including a torn ACL in 2019 and bone spurs in his ankle in 2021. When he was drafted, the expectation was to pair Chubb with Von Miller, an arrangement that rarely played out due to injuries. Miller was traded by the Broncos to the Rams last year at the deadline in exchange for a second and third round pick.
Now both have been traded by the team that drafted them. Miller is with the Bills and Chubb is with the Dolphins.
“Bradley was drafted back in 2018 and he grew into a great player and leader,” Paton said. “He’s been the definition of a total pro. Bradley’s worked as hard as anybody in our building to become a great player, leader and captain for this team. We’re going to miss him.”
For the Broncos, this trade makes sense for the future, both financially with cap space and in the draft with more picks.
Due to signing quarterback Russell Wilson to a $245 million deal in September, the Broncos are going to be limited in cap space in future years. And the money they do have will likely go to signing other young players, like cornerback Pat Surtain II and defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, to long-term deals. Paton said Tuesday that Jones is “one of our core players. We want him here a long time.”
If they were to keep Chubb, they would have had to sign him to a massive extension, which likely would cost over $20 million per year. Instead, they hope to rely on Randy Gregory — who signed a five-year, $70 million deal this past offseason — 2021 third-round pick Baron Browning, 2021 seventh-round pick Jonathon Cooper, 2022 second-round pick Nik Bonitto and Jacob Martin, who the Broncos also traded for Tuesday from the Jets.
The Broncos acquired Martin and 2024 fifth-round pick in exchange for a 2024 fourth round pick. Martin has started 15 games in his career five-year career, totaling 15 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Martin was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2018 draft and is an Aurora, Colo. native.
Paton said the depth have at edge with Martin, Gregory, Bonitto, Browning and Cooper is a big reason why they made the move with Chubb.
“No doubt,” Paton said. “That certainly contributed to us making a trade of this magnitude.”
Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) celebrates a sack of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan (2) on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. (Timothy Hurst/The Gazette)
More importantly, the Chubb deal also gives them draft compensation, which the Broncos desperately needed after sending Seattle five future picks for the quarterback in March: 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick, 2023 first-round pick, 2023 second-round pick. Now, the Broncos have six picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, including a first rounder.
“It’s no secret we need picks,” Paton said. “Moving forward, we have other holes to fill on the offensive side of the ball.”
Denver’s 2023 NFL Draft picks:
- 1st-round (via 49ers via Dolphins)
- 3rd-round
- 3rd-round (via Colts)
- 4th-round
- 5th-round
- 7th-round (via Vikings)
Where this trade doesn’t make sense for the Broncos is in the short term. Chubb has arguably been Denver’s best player on defense this season, totaling 5.5 sacks. And he leads a defense that ranks top five in several categories and is considered one of the best in the NFL.
Though, sitting at 3-5, the Broncos’ front office may believe this team has little chance at making a playoff run this. At least that’s what a trade of this caliber indicates, opting instead for the future. It’s sure to be a tough sell to the locker room, though, which Chubb was a leader in as a team captain.
“We would have made this trade regardless (of our record),” Paton said. “We just felt the value was too good. We believe in our young depth, we believe in our defense.”
Now, it’s up to Gregory, Browning, Cooper, Bonitto and Martin to help fill Chubb’s void.
“The message is we believe in this football team,” Paton said. “We believe in the depth we have at outside linebacker, our young pass rushers. We’ve invested a lot in that position. We believe in the leaders on this football team, especially the defensive leaders… At the end of the day, we just felt it was the best thing for our football team moving forward.
“We feel like we can make a push in the second half (of the season).”
Broncos hold onto receivers
The Broncos didn’t trade any of their wide receivers Tuesday, despite speculation that Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler were on the trading block. Paton said that they still believe in their receivers and hope to see them continue to grow.
“We wanted to keep our young, talented receivers,” Paton said. “I think we started to get some rhythm in the last game versus Jacksonville. And we just feel good about where we’re going. We’re trending in the right direction with Jerry and Hamler and Courtland (Sutton). And we didn’t want to break that up.”
Albert O.’s interesting situation
One player who wasn’t traded who many thought would be is tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. The third-year tight end has been a non-factor in Denver’s offense and has been inactive in the last three games. It was expected that the Broncos would try to move Okwuegbunam as rookie tight end Greg Dulcich has taken over the No. 1 spot.
“We like Albert. He’s young. He’s talented. He has a lot of upside,” Paton said. ” We wanted to keep Albert here. We believe in Albert. I know he hasn’t played much lately, but we’re going to need him in the second half of the season.”
Gordon’s future with Edmonds
Acquiring Edmonds in the Chubb trade means the Broncos now have four running backs on roster that weren’t on the team to start the season — Edmonds, Latavius Murray, Marlon Mack and Devine Ozigbo. The only remaining one is Melvin Gordon, who was also speculated to be on the trading block. But according to Paton, the addition of Edmonds doesn’t mean anything for Gordon’s future.
“It doesn’t effect Melvin at all,” Paton said. “It just brings more competition. I think Edmonds compliments what we have. He’s a little different than what we have. We like Melvin. And he’s still going to be our starter.”
Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) and linebacker Baron Browning (56) pressure New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) during the second half Oct. 23 at Empower Field in Denver.
New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) tries to escape the pressure from Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) and defensive end Dre’Mont Jones (93) during the second half on Oct. 23 at Empower Field.
Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) celebrates a sack of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan (2) on Oct. 6.
Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) congratulates Denver Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones (97) after a good tackle during a game against the Houston Texans at Empower Field on Sept. 18.
Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb signs autographs and takes selfies with Broncos fans after his first day of practice on July 27.
Bradley Chubb
Denver Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) and defensive end Shelby Harris (96) wait by a flag thrown for holding against the Cincinnati Bengals offense on Dec. 19, 2021, at Empower Field.
Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) celebrates after the Broncos sacked Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the fourth quarter Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, at Lumen Field in Seattle. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)