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Could the Detroit Lions pursue a trade for pass rusher Bradley Chubb? We break down what he could bring to the table.
If the Detroit Lions want to add another pass rusher before the trade deadline, they still have some options.
Bradley Chubb might be at or near the top of that list. Heading into Week 3, the Lions have four sacks through two games. By comparison, their top NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers, have nine, while the Minnesota Vikings have five.
The former No. 5 overall pick back in 2018, Chubb has 42.5 career sacks and 15 forced fumbles over his career. He looked like an All-Pro in 2023 with the Miami Dolphins—11.0 sacks and a league-high six forced fumbles—before a torn ACL shut him down in December and forced him to miss all of 2024.
Now that he’s back and producing at a high level — he has 3.0 sacks, 3 TFLs and 3 QB hits over his first three games — he’s the kind of player the Lions should absolutely be interested in, particularly considering the current situation in Miami.
Chubb Is a Full-On Beast When Heathy
GettyShould the Detroit Lions try to trade for Miami Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb?
Obviously, adding Chubb would mean you’d have to consider his injury history. He tore his ACL with the Denver Broncos in 2019, had multiple ankle surgeries in 2021 and then his most recent 2023 knee injury in Miami.
That’s a lot of wear, but he just turned 29, and he’s already showing he can still win his one-on-ones. Over his seven seasons, PFF has him netting 159 total QB hurries and 53 QB hits.
Money wouldn’t be a huge roadblock, either. Miami gave Chubb a five-year, $110 million deal in late 2022, and his deal runs through 2027. Thanks to how the Dolphins restructured it, his 2025 cap hit is only about $12.3 million, which isn’t bad at all for a proven starter at a premium position. If you’re the Lions, that’s manageable this year while you decide whether to ride it out or rework things down the line.
Miami’s 0–3 start also matters. If they continue to lose, expect a fire sale at some point. The Dolphins have already invested on the edge with Jaelan Phillips and 2024 first-rounder Chop Robinson, so they decide to reset the books and load up on picks, Chubb could be one of the first names dangled.
Lions Trade Proposal Sends Roy Lopez, Picks in Exchange for Bradley Chubb
Second sack of the season for @astronaut! pic.twitter.com/PcHc49xydT
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 14, 2025
Here’s a trade proposal we put together that we think might convince Miami to move Chubb:
- Lions get: edge rusher Bradley Chubb
- Dolphins get: 2026 third-round pick, DT Roy Lopez, conditional 2027 fifth-round pick (that escalates to a fourth if Chubb records 8+ sacks or plays 60% of defensive snaps in 2025).
This package would address both Detroit’s urgency and Miami’s needs. The Lions would avoid giving up a premium Day 2 pick while still adding a true pass rushing partner for Aidan Hutchinson.
Miami would gain a cost-controlled rotational defensive tackle in Lopez—valuable depth for a post-Christian Wilkins interior—along with draft capital that could rise based on Chubb’s performance.
Hutchinson is a monster, but he can’t do it alone. Slotting in Chubb next to Hutch would surely give the entire D-line an instant boost.
Chubb wouldn’t come without risks, but he could be a high-upside answer to Detroit’s biggest question mark on defense. If Brad Holmes wants Hutchinson to have a true running mate, this would one way to accomplish that.
