The Miami Dolphins have a Bradley Chubb problem. Not only did they hurt their playoff chances in yet another frustrating loss, but they may not get Chubb back soon, as many expected.
According to head coach Mike McDaniel, Chubb has been dealing with an "ACL plus" and his potential return is "not on my immediate horizon." That's concerning.
McDaniel could be playing his typical game with injuries, but this time, it seems realistic that Chubb won't be back for a while. There has been little to no talk of him returning to the team soon. He was injured on New Year's Day against the New York Jets. While ACL injuries can take a year to heal, most NFL players are returning much sooner.
What we don't know is what the "plus" is to Chubb's injury. Is this an injury in addition to the ACL, or is there something else with the ACL we don't know about?
Dolphins should consider shutting down Bradley Chubb for the rest of the season
It will be interesting if Chubb makes it back at all this season, and if the Dolphins continue to lose, maybe they should keep him sidelined for the year. Why risk him re-injuring himself for a lost season?
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Miami could use his help, but this season has gone south quickly. There is no need to bring him back in a month if they are out of the playoff chase. The next question is whether he will have a spot on the roster in 2025.
The Dolphins may opt to move on from Chubb this upcoming offseason. Chubb carries a nearly $30 million cap hit, and Miami can move on from $20 million of that by designating him a post-June 1 cut. They will have time to make that decision.
It's too bad the Dolphins couldn't have got him back sooner, as McDaniel pointed out that Chubb wants to be back. But in a tough season, this is yet another concerning update.