Broncos’ Bradley Chubb to undergo surgery on ankle, out indefinitely

Bradley Chubb left the Broncos’ Week 2 game early and will be back on the shelf for a bit. The Pro Bowl pass rusher will undergo arthroscopic surgery Wednesday, according to the team.

The fourth-year linebacker has battled an ankle issue for a while and endured a setback in Jacksonville. Chubb missed the Broncos’ Week 1 game but returned Sunday. He will miss more time down the road, and Mike Klis of 9News notes the Broncos are expected to use an IR transaction here (Twitter link).

Chubb’s ankle surgery will mark his second ankle operation this year. He underwent a procedure this spring, and while that surgery was classified as minor, Chubb missing Week 1 introduced a red flag on his 2021 status. The Broncos picked up Chubb’s fifth-year option, and new GM George Paton identified the former top-five pick as a cornerstone player. Chubb made the Pro Bowl last season and made a run at Jevon Kearse’s rookie sack record in 2018, recording 12 that season.

This represents a blow for the 2-0 Broncos, who have seen Von Miller return to strong form after he missed the entire 2020 season. Miller and Chubb have famously not been on the field together much. Chubb missed most of the 2019 season after tearing an ACL in Week 4. An IR stint would knock Chubb out for at least three weeks. After the Broncos’ Week 3 Jets game, they are set to face the Ravens and Steelers in Weeks 4 and 5.

Denver turned to rotational rusher Malik Reed as Miller’s primary sidekick following Chubb’s exit Sunday. Reed registered eight sacks last season. The Broncos also used a seventh-round pick on Jonathan Cooper this year; the Ohio State product would be in line to work as Denver’s third edge rusher while Chubb recovers.