Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb changed addresses on Tuesday and the newest member of the Miami Dolphins received a $111.25 million door prize on Thursday, agreeing to a five-year deal with $63.2 million guaranteed.
The contract doesn't account for the $7.75 million remaining on Chubb's rookie contract, which became the obligation of the Dolphins when Miami acquired the pass rusher Tuesday. All told, the Chubb contract has value of $119 million.
According to Chubb's agents, the contract was part of the conversations that began two weeks ago between Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and Denver Broncos general manager George Paton.
Miami shipped a first-round pick in 2023, originally acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the Trey Lance draft bonanza, to the Broncos for Chubb hours before the trade deadline Tuesday. The Dolphins also sent running back Chase Edmonds and a fourth-round pick of the 2024 NFL Draft to Denver for a 2025 fifth-round selection.
Chubb, 26, is two years removed from a torn ACL and led the Broncos with 5.5 sacks this season.
Grier said Wednesday he researched recovery and performance of pass rushers from similar injuries. That data combined with universal praise from past and present coaches for Chubb's professionalism and work ethic fed the motive to move on Chubb now rather than wait for free agency bidding in March.
Miami has only 15 sacks this season and is in the bottom four in the NFL in most pass defense categories despite what head coach Mike McDaniel referred to as a "loaded" secondary.
Chubb was on the field with the Dolphins at Wednesday's practice along with running back Jeff Wilson, who was the 49ers' leading rusher this season. But Wilson became expendable when San Francisco acquired Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers.
Wilson knows the McDaniel system well. McDaniel, Rams coach Sean McVay and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan are former assistants of the Washington NFL franchise and McDaniel was offensive coordinator in San Francisco before he landed his first head-coaching job with the Dolphins.
More must-reads: