The Dolphins’ hopes of getting something for Bradley Chubb were dashed months ago
Bradley Chubb’s time in South Florida has come to a close but the math said this was always the end.
The Miami Dolphins‘ first major departure has been reported.
Miami is going to slash and cut salary this season as the franchise embarks on the journey to a healthier salary cap situation in the years ahead. That simple fact is why the news that Bradley Chubb is out with the Dolphins is not a surprise. He was simply the first domino — but it is a bit of news that has left some Dolphins fans scratching their heads. Was this the only avenue for Miami? Barring a renegotiation and a reduced salary in 2026, yes.
The Dolphins were doomed to release Bradley Chubb and stood no chance to find a trade partner
The news of Miami’s decision to part ways with Chubb comes just months after the pass rusher was tied to rumors of a potential trade deadline deal mid-season. Why wouldn’t they hold on for hopes of finding a partner this spring?
The money.
Remember, Chubb was working on an adjusted contract in 2025 — a deal that had reduced base salary and millions and millions of dollars tucked into performance incentives as a result of Chubb missing the entirety of the 2024 season due to a major knee injury.
Chubb’s contract in Miami is now back to “regularly scheduled programming”. There is no salary adjustment. He was owed $20.23 million in cash this upcoming season, none of which is guaranteed. The absence of those guarantees is exactly why Chubb is out in Miami this early in the process, too. But Chubb’s compensation schedule was a top-tier number among all NFL pass rushers.
Among all edge rushers, Chubb’s scheduled $20.23 million in compensation owed in 2026 ranked 11th highest in the NFL. He was less than $3 million behind: Montez Sweat, Joshua Hines-Allen, Nick Bosa, and Danielle Hunter. His play, even in an admirable 2025 effort in his return to the field, is not in that stratosphere.
Accordingly, no one was going to trade for this contract. Teams knew that Miami, with this cap and cash situation, wasn’t going to play the long game with this one. They now are going to be free to negotiate freely with Chubb for themselves without dealing with going through Miami for trade offers. That is, of course, as soon as this release is processed and becomes official.
Miami Dolphins News
The Dolphins have reportedly made a decision on the first massive domino of their 2026 offseason
The first decision reportedly revolves around Dolphins pass rusher Bradley Chubb.
