A day after the Baltimore Ravens traded for stud linebacker Roquan Smith, another one of the Patriots' AFC rivals swung a trade for a star defender.
The Miami Dolphins on Tuesday landed edge rusher Bradley Chubb and a 2025 fifth-round pick in a trade with the Denver Broncos, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Dolphins, who plan to work out a new contract with Chubb, sent a 2023 first-rounder (originally owned by the San Francisco 49ers), a 2024 fourth-rounder and running back Chase Edmonds to Denver. The move was made roughly 90 minutes before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET NFL trade deadline.
Chubb was taken fifth overall in the 2018 NFL Draft and since has become one of the best pass rushers in football. The North Carolina State product has racked up 26 sacks over his five-year career, including 12 as a rookie and 5 1/2 this season, and currently is ranked 28th among edge defenders by Pro Football Focus -- largely due to a poor pass-coverage grade.
Obviously, this is a move that could impact the Patriots this season in beyond.
Despite an uneven and occasionally chaotic start to the season, New England could find itself in a playoff spot as soon as this weekend. In fact, it would be a surprise if that doesn't happen. But the 4-4 Patriots ultimately might need to get 10 wins to make the postseason, and reaching that number will be difficult given New England's brutal second-half schedule.
Among the more daunting matchups is a Week 17 showdown with Miami at Gillette Stadium. The Dolphins and their blitz-heavy defense have won four straight games against the Patriots, including a Week 1 effort that saw Mac Jones get sacked twice with one resulting in a scoop-and-score fumble. After an encouraging stretch, New England's offensive line has cratered over the last two weeks, with the New York Jets dominating up front and sacking Jones six times last Sunday.
The addition of Chubb will make the Dolphins an even more formidable opponent when the Patriots host them on New Year's Day. Thankfully for the Patriots, the game will be played in New England, meaning Miami will have to adjust to cold temperatures.
Regardless, the Patriots might have to win that game to make the playoffs. Bill Belichick rarely had to worry about tiebreakers during the Tom Brady era, but now they're quite relevant to New England and its postseason aspirations. Things such as head-to-head records, in-conference records and common-games records could mean the difference between the Patriots returning to the playoffs and staying home.
And, assuming Chubb and the Dolphins work out a long-term deal, New England will have to worry about stopping him for a few more years.
