The Buffalo Bills are making their first significant signing of the 2026 free agency signing period, agreeing to a three-year deal with edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
Chubb was released by the Miami Dolphins when the new league year opened at 4 p.m., and a half hour later he was changing teams within the AFC East.
The initial report on the contract is $43.5 million with the possibility of rising to $52 million, likely tied to incentives. There is $29 million in guaranteed money.
Chubb missed all of the 2024 season in Miami due to a torn ACL, then returned to start 17 games in 2025, registering 8.5 sacks, 48 QB pressures, two forced fumbles, one recovery and 47 tackles. He played primarily as the Dolphins right outside linebacker, logging 615 of his 763 defensive snaps from that side.
Edge rusher was clearly a priority for Buffalo, and that was apparent in the reported interest they showed in trying to land Trey Hendrickson who eventually signed with the Ravens.
The pass rush has been a continual weak spot for the Bills, especially in the postseason. The Bills have tried solving the problem numerous times including in free agency with the signings of Von Miller in 2022 and then Joey Bosa and Michael Hoecht in 2025, and it really hasn’t gotten them anywhere.
Now they’re taking a swing at Chubb who will turn 30 in June. Chubb is not going to give the Bills the type of production someone would expect from the top-end pass rushers like Hendrickson; he’s going to be a rotational player who will share time with players like Hoecht, Greg Rousseau, maybe Javon Solomon, and then perhaps someone the Bills add in the draft.
Chubb was formerly the No. 5 overall draft pick of the Broncos in 2018. He played the first four-plus seasons of his career there, but injuries cost him most of the 2019 and 2021 seasons. The Broncos dealt him to Miami at the 2022 trade deadline, and in 2023 he recorded 11 sacks, just one of his career high of 12 which was set in his rookie season.
Across 90 career games, Chubb has 48 sacks, 303 QB pressures, one interception, 15 forced fumbles, and four recoveries.
It was a fairly quiet few days for the Bills, which was driving the fan base crazy on social media. But president/general manager Brandon Beane had to get the salary cap in order before he could turn to the business of agreeing on free agent contracts.
The first vital move was re-signing center Connor McGovern before he hit the open market, and then Beane re-worked the contracts of Josh Allen, Tyler Bass and Dawson Knox to get compliant under the $301.2 million cap threshold.
He also made a couple low-key moves, agreeing with slot corner Dee Alford on a three-year deal, and bringing back Kyle Allen to be the backup QB.
Once 4 p.m. arrived, the Bills officially announced the completion of the two trades they executed in the past week.
Wide receiver DJ Moore and the Bears’ fifth-round pick are now Buffalo’s property in exchange for a second-round pick. And slot corner Taron Johnson and one of the Bills’ seventh-round picks are gone to Las Vegas in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
As it stands now, the Bills have seven draft picks at their disposal: No. 26 (first), No. 91 (third), No. 126 (fourth), No. 165 from Chicago (fifth), No. 168 (fifth), No. 182 from Las Vegas (sixth) and No. 220.
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 36 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills address pass rush, sign edge rusher released by division rival
Reporting by Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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