Will Bradley Chubb play against the Jaguars?

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Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb

Bradley Chubb burst onto the scene in 2018 with a dominant rookie season. Chubb, alongside Von Miller, formed one of the most formidable pass rush duos in the NFL. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL four games into the 2019 season that ended his year.

Bradley Chubb returned in 2020 but wasn't as impactful. Now two years removed from it, expectations on him are high. Chubb has nursed an ankle injury this offseason and missed Week 1. Now that their Week 2 matchup is mere hours away, what's Bradley Chubb's status?

Is Bradley Chubb going to play in Week 2?

Adam Schefter

@AdamSchefter

Broncos’ LB Bradley Chubb, listed as questionable with an ankle injury that prevented him from playing the opener, “probably” will make his season debut today vs. Jacksonville, per source. If he does, Chubb and Von Miller would be unleashed vs. Trevor Lawrence.

6:26 AM · Sep 19, 2021

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Broncos’ LB Bradley Chubb, listed as questionable with an ankle injury that prevented him from playing the opener, “probably” will make his season debut today vs. Jacksonville, per source. If he does, Chubb and Von Miller would be unleashed vs. Trevor Lawrence.

According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, Chubb will "probably" play today. Chubb participated in practice this week, which is a good sign of getting strength back in his ankle. There are still 16 games left this season, so it's understandable if the Denver Broncos want to work him back slowly. Ultimately, he'll have to test it out in pre-game warmups to determine if he can go or not.

If Bradley Chubb is healthy, he's a strong pass rusher. He's built incredibly well at 6' 4" and is a robust 275 pounds. He complements Miller due to his pure strength, while Miller wins his matchups with finesse and a bag of moves. Chubb is in a pivotal fourth season. As the fifth overall pick in 2018, he needs to show that his rookie season numbers are repeatable.

The Broncos pass rush could feast on the Jacksonville Jaguars with or without Chubb

As valuable as Bradley Chubb is, the Broncos could still be fine if a setback occurs. Miller looked like his old self in Week 1 with two sacks and three tackles for loss. Miller is capable of carrying the load against a below-average Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line.

Mike Kennedy

@MikeKennedyNFL

Highest PFF graded edge defenders through Week 1:

1) Chandler Jones, 93.8
2) Maxx Crosby, 93.0
3) Demarcus Lawrence, 91.4
4) Yannick Ngakoue, 90.6
5) Justin Hollins, 90.1
6) Trey Flowers, 89.9
7) Nick Bosa, 87.6
8) Von Miller, 86.8
9) Preston Smith, 86.3
10) Emmanuel Ogbah, 86.1

3:18 AM · Sep 15, 2021

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Highest PFF graded edge defenders through Week 1:

1) Chandler Jones, 93.8
2) Maxx Crosby, 93.0
3) Demarcus Lawrence, 91.4
4) Yannick Ngakoue, 90.6
5) Justin Hollins, 90.1
6) Trey Flowers, 89.9
7) Nick Bosa, 87.6
8) Von Miller, 86.8
9) Preston Smith, 86.3
10) Emmanuel Ogbah, 86.1 https://t.co/5MtwJQeLyw

The Jaguars' offensive line held up better than expected against the Houston Texans in Week 1. The Texans put some pressure on Lawrence, but only registered one sack. Pro Football Focus graded them 23rd in the league.

Trevor Lawrence is a rookie and is relying on his offensive line to keep him upright. He's not the most mobile runner to escape pressure. The Broncos' secondary is still one of the best in the NFL despite Ronald Darby's injury. They have the freedom to blitz and trust the back end of their defense to prevent big plays.

Bradley Chubb playing would add another weapon for Vic Fangio to get creative on defense. He and Miller were among the NFL's top sack tandems three years ago and could rise to the occasion again.

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