The Dolphins made the biggest splash on the final day of the trade deadline by acquiring former Pro Bowl linebacker Bradley Chubb from the Denver Broncos. They also traded for running back Jeff Wilson Jr. from the San Francisco 49ers. Here are the full details of each trade and what they mean for Miami’s playoff hopes.
Bradley Chubb
The Dolphins gave up a 2023 first-round draft they acquired from the 49ers, their own 2024 fourth-round draft pick, and Chase Edmonds for Bradley Chubb and a 2023 fifth-round draft pick on Monday. Predictably, Miami intends on signing the 26-year-old to an extension when his contract expires after this season. Chubb logged 26 total tackles and 5.5 sacks in eight games with the Broncos this season.
Chubb will immediately step in and help a defense that is tied for sixth-worst in sacks with 15. The Dolphins now have a bevy of talented pass-rushers including Bradley Chubb, Melvin Ingram, Jaelan Phillips, and Emmanual Ogbah. This move should also be beneficial for Miami’s secondary which has taken some massive hits due to injuries. The added QB pressures Chubb should bring will also take some pressure off the secondary by allowing them to cover receivers for a shorter amount of time.
Jeff Wilson Jr.
Once Miami made a deal for Chubb, they immediately flipped their 2023 fifth-round draft pick for Wilson Jr. He will fill in for the now-traded Edmonds who was a huge disappointment for the Dolphins this year. Edmonds signed a two-year $12.1 million deal in the offseason, but received very few carries behind Raheem Mostert and was tied for most drops in the NFL with five. On the other hand, Wilson Jr. has been effective with his opportunities, rushing for 468 yards and two touchdowns on 92 attempts. Wilson Jr. is in the final year of his deal and could find himself with the Dolphins long-term if he can put together a good second half of the season with them.
What It Means
The addition of Bradley Chubb sends a clear message to Dolphins fans and the NFL world: Miami feels ready to win now. This is a great move to counter the elite-tier quarterbacks in the AFC such as Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Miami now looks like they can hang with the best of them, at least on paper. If Chubb can help improve the Dolphins into just an average defense, they will have accomplished exactly what was needed to make their playoff run while also securing a franchise pass-rusher for years to come. Both Wilson Jr. and Chubb should be ready to play for the Dolphins as soon as this Sunday for their 1:00 p.m. ET matchup with the Chicago Bears.
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