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In the NFL, it’s about improvement.
Regardless of what you accomplished in the most recent season, the expectation is you always get better. That’s why the cliche, “What have you done for me lately?” reappears year after year. And no one is immune from it.
Bradley Chubb finished with 12 sacks, 2.5 shy of the NFL rookie record held by Jevon Kearse (14.5). Had the Denver Broncos finished with a better record, he would have been in serious talk for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The Orange Rush (the hoodie is now just $20) of Chubb and Von Miller flashed the dominance Broncos Country hoped to see when Denver drafted Chubb with the No. 5 pick. It wasn’t as consistent as the Broncos would like, but we could see the potential.
Enter Vic Fangio.
There is potential we could soon witness something very historic and special. The duo of Chubb and Miller in Fangio’s defense should get you excited at the damage it will create.
Bradley Chubb Profile
Height: 6-4
Weight: 269 pounds
Age: 22
Experience: 2nd season
The Good
For a rookie to come in and make his presence felt as Chubb did is rare. He put up one of the best pass-rushing seasons by a rookie the NFL has seen in quite a while. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Then you see what he told Orange and Blue 760 in May.
“I was kind of confused on my own (since) I was still the rookie,” Chubb joked. “I was trying to make sure I didn’t mess up, so that’s where a lot of my confusion came from. But at the end of the day, it was just one of those things that we weren’t always on the same page. I don’t blame that on the coaches or the calls, we just have to lock in better. And I feel like if we do that this year, everything will be good.”
Despite Chubb’s confusion, for the season (on top of his 12 sacks), he finished with 60 tackles, 41 solo, 14 for loss, 21 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
The Bad
As Chubb noted, there were times he looked and played like a rookie. He also needs to get better in run defense and coverage.
In other words, Chubb needs to take the next steps to become a complete edge. No doubt he can get after the quarterback, but if he can show improvement in both of those areas, he’ll make the defense that much better and more difficult to slow down.
That’s where Fangio and his system come into the fold.
Of course, it also helps to play with the best edge in the NFL in Miller.
Quotable
Speaking of which, here is Fangio on Chubb:
“He’s tailor-made for us. I think he’ll take the next step just because he’s a pro, much like Phillip already. He’s a very smart football player, very coachable, very intense. I see nothing but bright days ahead for him.”
Roster Status
There is no question Chubb will play a vital role in the success of the Broncos defense in 2019. If he does show that improvement, the Orange Rush has the chance to set records and make history (it also means fans need to get this awesome hoodie while it’s at a great price) It also means the defense will see a return to dominance.