Broncos' Odds of Replacing Bradley Chubb on Defense are Remote

The only hope for the Denver Broncos' defense is Randy Gregory and Baron Browning.

Ahed of the NFL trade deadline, the Denver Broncos dealt away outside linebacker Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins for a package that included a 2023 first-round draft pick that originally belonged to the San Francisco 49ers, and a veteran running back. 

There's no denying this will be a significant loss for the Broncos in the short term. Chubb, who was finally healthy, played excellent football as a pass rusher and run defender this season. The Broncos were deep at the position and prepared to trade Chubb way back in January.

The Broncos moved Baron Browning to his more natural position on the edge, signed Randy Gregory, and selected Nik Bonitto with the 64th overall pick in the NFL draft. Denver will be looking for this trio to step up to replace what Chubb brought. 

However, Gregory is on injured reserve, and Browning has already dealt with a few injuries this season. Denver needs them to return to the field and play the same great football as before the injuries. Arguably, the pressure isn't so much on those two as it is on Bonitto and the others to replace Chubb. 

So, what did the Broncos lose in Chubb? From a statistical standpoint, they lost someone tied for 21st out of 63 edge rushers in total pressures but were tied for seventh in sacks, per Pro Football Focus. However, Chubb brought more than his pass rush, as he was the ninth-highest graded edge rusher in run defense and 12th in run-stop percentage. 

Chubb was a well-rounded defender that could do whatever was asked of him and do it exceptionally well. That isn't easy to replace, no matter how deep the unit is when healthy. 

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Bonitto is under the most pressure to step up in replacing Chubb. While he hasn't seen the field a lot on the season, Bonitto's number of reps increased due to the injuries to Browning and Gregory. There have been plenty of flashes as a pass rusher, but the rookie's run defense is problematic. 

That was the area of concern with Bonitto when he was coming out of Oklahoma, and it's why the Broncos didn't get him out on the field until they had no other choice. Of all the Broncos' edge defenders, Bonitto has the lowest grade from PFF at 43.0. 

As great of an athlete as Bonitto is, he has to get stronger and improve as a football player. He can help replace what Chubb brought as a pass rusher, but as a run defender, he's not the guy to look at. 

Denver also has a 2021 seventh-round pick in Jonathon Cooper waiting in the wings, who has looked solid when on the field. However, the Broncos will need more out of him and more reliability to stay on the field after an early-season injury that kept him on the sideline. 

Cooper is the second highest-graded run defender of the Broncos' edge defenders (with Chubb traded, Cooper is the highest-graded). Cooper's run defense was an issue as a rookie, but it has significantly improved this season. With five pressures on only 43 pass rush snaps, he will probably carry the most significant burden of replacing Chubb. 

Cooper will get a higher snap count and be paired with Bonitto in the rotation behind Browning and Gregory when they're healthy. Jonathan Kongbo will be more depth and special teams than anything, while newcomer Zach McCloud is on the practice squad. 

The interesting piece is Jacob Martin, whom Denver traded with the New York Jets to acquire before the deadline. Martin will also be involved in replacing Chubb, but with his play on special teams, he will also replace Aaron Patrick, who was a stud on special teams before he was lost for the season. 

Martin joined the Jets after three years with the Houston Texans. He has been a fine depth piece as a pass rusher, picking up 125 pressures on 1,090 career pass rush snaps. However, Martin's run defense is a significant problem, and he isn't the best at securing tackles. 

Martin will also be involved with Cooper and Bonitto when it comes to getting the most significant opportunity to help replace Chubb. The truth is, there is no replacing what Chubb was doing on the football field. He was playing excellent football in all phases, and try as you might, you don't replicate that with depth players or cast-offs from other teams. 

Denver is hoping the trio of Cooper, Bonitto, and Martin can limit the negative impact of Chubb's departure, while Browning and Gregory step up when they return to the field. The concern is their health and injury history, even with Browning, who only has one-and-a-half seasons under his belt. 

It made sense to trade Chubb, and Denver had been preparing for this for a while. So it isn't shocking that the Broncos moved him, and at least they know they have some pass rush without him, unlike last year when Von Miller was traded away. 

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