The Miami Dolphins have acquired edge rusher Bradley Chubb from the Denver Broncos, sending a package that includes a first-round pick in a blockbuster trade.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Miami parted with the 2023 first-round pick they received from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade that facilitated the Niners moving up in the 2021 draft to select quarterback Trey Lance third overall.
In addition, the Dolphins sent a 2024 fourth-round pick and running back Chase Edmonds in exchange for Chubb and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
The Dolphins will hope Chubb can provide a significant boost to a defense that has allowed 5.89 yards per play, the seventh-most in the NFL, and tallied 14 sacks for negative yardage, only good enough for a five-way tie for 20th.
Their pressure rate of 39.6 per cent is above the NFL average, but Chubb will be tasked with improving Miami's ability to convert those pressures.
This season the 2018 first-round pick has registered 5.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles for a stellar Denver defense, the efforts of which have been wasted by continued poor performances on offense.
Denver beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in London last Sunday to improve to 3-5, still a hugely disappointing record for a team that had hoped to make the leap after sending five picks, including two first-rounders, and three players to the Seattle Seahawks for nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson.
But the struggles of the Wilson-led attack created talk of them being sellers at the trade deadline. No team will be able to make trades after 16:00 EST on Tuesday.
Such speculation proved accurate, with the 5-3 Dolphins landing a pass rusher who is tied 10th in adjusted sack rate among players with at least 50 edge snaps, according to Stats Perform data.
Chubb figures to form an imposing duo with second-year edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, whose pressure rate of 27.6 per cent is the fifth-best in the NFL for edge rushers (minimum 50 snaps).
The Dolphins face the Chicago Bears in Week 9 at Soldier Field, where Chubb could make his debut.
Following the move for Chubb, the Dolphins also struck a deal with the 49ers for running back Jeff Wilson Jr, sending a fifth-round pick to San Francisco.