Bradley Chubb drove his left forearm into Ryan Hayes’ chest and drove him so far into the backfield that Zach Wilson actually hit the turf for a real sack on the second day of Miami Dolphins’ organized team activities practice.
As Wilson was being picked up off the ground, Chubb removed his helmet as he and his fellow defenders, namely Chip Robinson, erupted in celebration.
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“I’ve been out for a year and a half, so anything to get going, man,” Chubb said after practice. “I just see red.”
It was a forceful move an eight-year veteran, who is a 72-game starter, should make against a backup offensive tackle. After tearing two ligaments and a tendon in his right knee during a 2024 December loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Chubb’s dominance during the first week of offensive vs. defense OTA work provides evidence he might be on the road back to relevance.
“Football percentage, in terms of body wise, I’ll say I’m about 95 [or] 99%, in terms of just feeling good, feeling better, feeling like myself,” said Chubb.
Chubb, who turns 29 next month, had the opportunity to return to the team last year when Miami had him practice with the team for a month while on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. However, the team opted to give him some extra time to recover, even though at the time Miami certainly needed pass rushing help on defense.
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“At first it was a little hard, but I’m glad I made a decision to get all the way right and to be able to be out here, to run around however many plays,” said Chubb, who restructured his contract in March, drastically lowering his salary to avoid being released in order for the Dolphins to clear cap space. “That’s what the team needs me to do for this year.”
Before his injury, Chubb was the type of talent the Dolphins traded a 2023 first-round pick to acquire at the trade deadline, and then signed him to a five-year, $110 million extension.
The goal was to build a defense around his edge rushing, and in 2023 he produced 72 tackles, 11 sacks and forced six fumbles in 16 games.
Now back in practice, he’s already putting in the work to help see that defensive vision come to fruition.
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“He is huge for us right now, especially down in that front seven,” inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks said, referring to Chubb, whom he hasn’t played with yet. “Just having an experienced guy, [someone] who’s helping lead the charges.”
The hope is Chubb’s return, alongside fellow linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who also sustained a season-ending knee injury during Week 4 of the 2024 season in a loss to the Tennessee Titans, will jump-start Miami’s lackluster passing rushing in Anthony Weaver’s defense.
“If by God’s grace we’re fortunate that Jaelan Phillips can stay on the field, Bradley Chubb, Chop [Robinson] coming into Year 2, the additions we made on the defensive line, [with] Zach Sieler, I think we can help [the secondary] by being more disruptive and creating more chaos for the quarterback,” Weaver said, explaining his vision for the 2025 defense.
McDaniel said Chubb and Phillips are working with their teammates this spring and summer, but some of their participation has still been limited to every other day at this stage.
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Typically knee injuries take nine to 12 months to rehab and heal, but most players admit they don’t feel like themselves until a year later.
The biggest concern the Dolphins have is that both players will push themselves too far, potentially suffering a setback that prevents them from being available for training camp, and ultimately cleared to play in the Sept. 7 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
Both Chubb and Phillips have been plagued with durability issues throughout their NFL careers.
“[I’m] very happy with where they’re at and know that they’re as excited as ever,”McDaniel said. “They’re the most excited practice players of all time.
“It’s an authentic appreciation,” McDaniel said of Chubb and Phillips’ return to football. “You don’t always know exactly the level of what you have until it’s removed.”