Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane is no stranger to adding veteran pass-rush options via free agency. Whether we’re talking about Von Miller, Nick Bosa, Leonard Floyhd, or a host of others, Beane has shown a willingness to chase big-name edge rushers in the hopes of finding the ever-elusive four-man rush that can take Buffalo’s defense to the next level.
If you notice, two out of the three names above didn’t quite work out, and the one that did wasn’t necessarily the one you’d expect. Granted,
Miller and Bosa dealt with injuries, and after a hot start to his lone season with the Bills, Floyd petered out by the end, as well. It’s been a struggle to find consistent edge rushers, and while Beane has thrown plenty of darts, he hasn’t had the luxury of very many bulls-eyes in that regard.
In today’s edition of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss Buffalo’s latest free agent signing in the veteran edge rusher department.
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Name: Bradley Chubb
Number: 9
Position: OLB
Height/Weight: 6’4” 268 lbs.
Age: 30 (31 on 6/24/2027)
Experience/Draft: 9; selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round (No. 5 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft
College: N.C. State
Acquired: Signed with Buffalo on 3/12/2026
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Chubb signed a three-year deal worth $43.5 million this offseason. Of that total, $26.97 million is guaranteed. For the 2026 season, Chubb’s cap hit is $6.5 million, and Buffalo will carry a dead cap charge of $21 million if he is released.
2025 Recap: After missing the entire 2024 season thanks to a torn ACL, Chubb managed to suit up for all 17 games for the first time in his NFL career last season. Playing on a Miami Dolphins defense that was just 24th in points allowed per game, Chubb was a bright spot, as he led the team in sacks (8.5) and quarterback hits (20) while stepping right back into his former role. In 2023, he appeared on 81% of Miami’s defensive snaps. Last season, he appeared on 72% of the team’s defensive snaps. Yes, his workload was a bit lighter, but not by much, and he acquitted himself just as well as he had before the injury. Chubb finished with 47 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in addition to the sack and QB hit numbers listed above.
Positional outlook: Chubb is one of eight outside linebackers listed on Buffalo’s current roster. Greg Rousseau, Mike Danna, Michael Hoecht, T.J. Parker, Javon Solomon, Andre Jones Jr., and Cade Denhoff are the others.
2026 Offseason: Chubb has looked good throughout camp, as reporters have highlighted both his play on the field and his role as a veteran mentor off of it. He trained with Parker throughout the summer. Chubb has been running with the first unit.
2026 Season outlook: The man who John Elway selected when he really wanted to take Josh Allen is now Allen’s teammate, and by all early reports, this is a very, very good thing for the Bills. Chubb has looked explosive early in camp, and after playing a full season coming off of a major knee injury, it helps to quiet some of the concerns about Chubb’s lack of durability that he has dealt with throughout his professional career.
While it may quiet some of those concerns, it shouldn’t silence them fully. Chubb has missed significant time in multiple seasons, playing in just four games in 2019 and seven games in 2021 before missing the entire 2024 season. He’s suffered multiple major knee injuries throughout his career, which is certainly concerning given the position that he plays. With Brandon Beane’s track record of handing out major dollars to injury-prone edge rushers, some concern is definitely warranted.
If he’s healthy, though, Chubb has the chance to be a true force for Buffalo in this defense. Given that he and Michael Hoecht, who is coming off an Achilles tendon tear suffered last November, might be able to rotate in for one another, new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard can try to manage their reps in the early going with an eye on playing in January and February. Parker, who has had a quiet training camp, is another wild card, as any positive developments from him will only help to deepen the stable of pass rushers Buffalo has.
A return to 2023-level production from Chubb would be incredible, as he had 11 sacks, 73 tackles, six forced fumbles, and 11 tackles for loss before his Week Seventeen knee injury ended his season. If Chubb can even be his 2025 vintage, that would be a great thing for the Bills, who desperately need a “dude” on the edge that can cause some agita for opposing offensive lines. Overall, keeping Chubb available and disruptive are two keys to making this new-look Buffalo defense hum.
