MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins on Tuesday attacked the NFL trade deadline — and their own weakness — with big noise, boldness and a scalpel-exact strategy that left no room for doubt:
It’s about now for this team. About this season, not maybe someday.
The Fins are 5-3 in a year that sees only seven teams (only three in the AFC) with a better record. They have beaten the Super Bowl-favorite Buffalo Bills. Tua Tagovailoa has the highest passer rating in the league, all three Miami losses coming with him out for all or most of the game with that concussion.
The Dolphins are good enough to play with anybody.
Tuesday they got appreciably better in adding dynamic pass rushing outside linebacker Bradley Chubb in a trade with the Denver Broncos.
Trades not involving a quarterback rarely are seen as difference-making, but on ESPN (for what it’s worth) analyst Jeff Saturday was calling it a “huge addition.” Panelmate Robert Griffin III said the Dolphins had “launched their Super Bowl chances to the moon.”
Hyperbole? We will see. But Chubb, in his prime at 26, has the third-highest pass rush win rate in the league. In his two full seasons he had 12 sacks in one, made the Pro Bowl in the other. He will be a free agent after the season, but Miami didn’t get him as a rental but as a young star to sign long-term.
The one knock has been injuries. He missed most of 2019 with a knee injury and 10 games last season with bone spurs in both ankles. But Dolphins doctors signed off on his health, and when healthy he is just what Miami has lacked — and what has been the big difference in this year’s downturn on defense.
Miami was top 10 (eighth) in sacks last season and languishes tied for 23rd right now.
Chubb will help. Right now.
Miami’s pass defense especially has suffered because, even with lots of blitzing, opposing passers have too much free time in the pocket. Chubb will help. Right now.
For Chubb and a 2025 fifth-round pick, Miami sends to Denver its 2023 first-round pick obtained from San Francisco last year, along with running back Chase Edmonds and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
In an overshadowed but not insignificant separate deal Tuesday, Miami immediately replaced Edmonds by acquiring 49ers running back Jeff Wilson for that ‘25 fifth-rounder.
San Fran’s first-round pick next spring is likely to be lower third, and you would be very lucky to find Chubb-quality talent in a lower first-round pick.
What hurts is it means Miami now has no first-round choice in ‘23, thanks to the club forfeiting its own top pick as an NFL penalty for tampering because of owner Stephen Ross’ dumb skullduggery over his back-channels pursuit of Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
As for the rest of Tuesday’s dealing?
Edmonds had lost his starting job to Raheeem Mostert and became expandable. And Wilson brings starter-quality numbers; his 468 rushing yards actually are slightly more than Mostert’s Fins-leading total.
Miami’s running attack just got better.
Its defense just improved to an even greater degree, and one warranting the expenditure of a lower first-round pick.
Griffin’s declaration that Miami’s Super Bowl chances have gone ‘to the moon” will be hyperbole until the Fins prove it isn’t.
But this much is indisputable about these Dolphins and this season:
You felt it when Miami landed the NFL’s top-rated offseason free agent in Terron Armstead this summer.
You felt it even more with the mega-trade to acquire game-breaking receiver Tyreek Hill from Kansas City — an addition that has been all that and then some.
And you feel it again now with Tuesday’s two deals especially the one bringing Bradley Chubb here.
The Miami Dolphins believe in themselves and are all in to prove it. Right now.
