The Miami Dolphins acquired Bradley Chubb from the Denver Broncos in exchange for a first-round pick, a running back and a fourth-round pick.
Over the last eight months, Miami has made a number of splashy moves, including hiring head coach and offensive guru Mike McDaniel, signing franchise left tackle Terron Armstead, and trading for wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
The other side of the ball has been subpar, ranking 23rd in yards allowed per game and 27th in defensive EPA. Chubb should be able to change that a lot.
The biggest questions surrounding the trade are answered by a group of people.
The Dolphins have 21 sacks and 27 pressures.
They are both in the top 10 in pressures created.
Chubb will allow Miami to create pressure, something it hasn't been able to do this season. This is a direct commitment to flipping its defensive focal point to the front seven -- at least for this season. This could be one of the top defenses in the league.
Denver received two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fourth-round pick and three players from Seattle in exchange for Wilson, so they will be back in the first round of the draft.
Chubb's asking price was likely going to be bigger than the Broncos wanted to pay, since he was in the last year of his rookies contract. Randy Gregory, who signed a five-year, $70 million deal in free agency earlier this year, and Baron Browning, who was moved to OLB during the off-season, have to be the players the Broncos believe they can be.
Both are on the injured reserve list at the moment, but the two of them will decide if the trade made sense.
The Broncos are in the first round and are projected to pick 25th. The Broncos need help on the offensive front, and Georgia's Broderick Jones and Maryland's Jaelyn Duncan could be targets. A wide receiver is a position to look at.
It doesn't mean that the Dolphins are the favorite in the East, but it does mean that they are more prepared to face quarterbacks like Josh Allen.
With Miami's next three games against teams with losing records, the Dolphins could be over.500 by the end of the season. After losing to the Jets in Week 5, Miami needs to overtake New York in order to win the title.
Now that Tua Tagovailoa is healthy again and back in the lineup, the Dolphins could even reach the top of the league if their defense gets the boost Chubb is expected to provide.
The addition of Chubb will allow the Dolphins to play more coverage and use their defensive front more. Miami's rate of 34.1% is tied for fifth- highest in the league. The Dolphins can bet on their edge rushers in passing situations and disrupt the pocket more out of their base fronts with Chubb andPhillips teaming up. Chubb's presence off the edge will open up the playcalling on defense and lighten the need to rush the passer so often.
It definitely seems that way. The Dolphins are without a first-round pick for the second year in a row, despite the fact that the general manager kept the team's two first-round picks. They have a second-round pick and two third-round picks in the future, so they haven't completely mortgaged their future.
The front office knows there is a potential Super Bowl window and wants to attack it.