ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Since flirting with the all-time rookie sack record in 2018, Bradley Chubb has missed nearly as many games as he’s played in.
In fact, in the three years after his marvelous rookie season, the former No. 5-overall pick has played in 25 games and sat out 24 games due to injury.
“At the end of the day, I know I didn’t put my best foot forward last year on the field and that’s what it comes down to, making plays and doing things for the organization to help us win,” Chubb said on Thursday, as the team wrapped up their first week of the offseason training program. “I feel like I wasn’t in that position last year.”
Dealing with two different sets of bone spurs in his ankle, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound pass rusher only played in seven of the team’s 17 games last year and didn’t rack up a single sack.
That’s why his No. 1 goal in 2022 is to be available in order to let his ability take over.
“Many things would be successful, but my main thing is playing all 17 [games], make sure I can do that,” Chubb stated without hesitation. “Everybody knows I haven’t been the healthiest player out here. I just want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to stay on the field for my teammates and for myself.”
Chubb’s rookie season in 2018 was the last time he played a full year. The production followed, too, as he racked up 12 sacks. The offseason after that year was the last time Chubb was as healthy as he is now.
“I didn’t have anything going on, felt good, running and doing everything I needed to be doing,” he said, explaining why the 2019 offseason was the last time he was this healthy. “It was probably the last full time [I was this healthy].”
Four games into his sophomore campaign, Chubb tore his ACL, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. The following year, although he missed two games, he had the second-best season of his career, tallying 7.5 sacks and making his first Pro Bowl.
When Bradley Chubb has been healthy, he’s been a dominant player in the NFL. That’s why, for the first time since 2019, he has a “full advantage” this offseason as he’s fully healthy.
“Whenever you got a chance to really take the offseason for what it is and better yourself like mentally and physically, it take you leaps and bounds away from where you were in the beginning,” Chubb stated on how important it is to be healthy for an entire offseason. “Just to have that peace of mind and be able to focus on football has just been fun, it’s been amazing. I’m glad to be able to continue to work.”
Playing on the fifth-year option this season, Chubb is set to make just shy of $14 million and become a free agent after the year, barring the franchise tag being placed on him.
If Chubb is able to stay healthy and put together an impressive season, the Broncos, or another team, will back up the brink’s truck for him. However, he isn’t focused on that.
“I’m not thinking about that at all,” Chubb said about a potential new massive contract. “My goal is to play 17 and win these games, as many as possible. That stuff is going to come. If you stress about it, that’s when you start doing the things you don’t need to be doing. My main thing is just tunnel vision, looking forward and trying to help this team win.”
There’s a common phrase in sports — availability is more important than ability. Bradley Chubb is well aware of that.
When he’s been available, his ability has shined. But Chubb knows the key to a potential monster payday is his availability, not his ability.
Al Davis used to say “Just win, baby.”
For Bradley Chubb, it’s “Just play, baby.”
If he’s able to play, the production will follow.
