One area that the Detroit Lions must upgrade heading into free agency next month is their pass rush. The Lions were tied with the Minnesota Vikings for the fourth-most sacks in the league this past season with 49, but that number doesn't tell the entire story.Â
Aidan Hutchison and Al-Quadin Muhammad did most of the work, combining for 25.5 sacks in 2025. Detroit would love to see that production again in 2026, but it's not guaranteed, as Muhammad is set to become an unrestricted free agent. And there will be teams, possibly looking to give Muhammad a huge pay raise.Â
Luckily for Detroit, if they can’t re-sign Muhammad, there’s another pass rush option that just hit the market in veteran Bradley Chubb. On Monday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Miami Dolphins and Chubb have parted ways, making him a free agent.
The 29-year-old Chubb wasn’t set to become a free agent until 2028 after signing a five-year, $110 million contract extension with the Dolphins in Nov. 2022. The Dolphins acquired Chubb from the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster trade ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline.
Chubb had cap hits of $31.2 million for 2026 and $31.5 million for 2027, per Spotrac. However, with the Dolphins having new leadership, they want a fresh start and are giving Chubb a chance to play elsewhere.
Lions’ Offseason Just Took Turn with Bradley Chubb Now Available
That chance to play elsewhere could be in the Motor City with the Lions. It will be interesting to see what the market is for Chubb, who is coming off a solid 2025 season. Chubb missed all of the 2024 campaign with a torn ACL, meniscus, and patellar tendon that he suffered towards the end of the 2023 season.
Despite the Dolphins being one of the more mediocre teams in the NFL this past season, the veteran pass rusher still racked up 22 quarterback pressures, 20 quarterback hits, 8.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles. That’s not too shabby for a defender one year removed from a torn ACL.
According to Pro Football Focus, Chubb wasn’t great against the run, earning a 57.2 grade, but if you’re the Lions, you’ll live with that, especially if the interior of the defensive line steps up in 2026.
In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, Lions fans were hopeful GM Brad Holmes would make a move for a pass rusher such as Chubb. They knew Detroit didn’t have the depth to be a true contender in the NFC as they were currently built.
That deal never came to fruition, as fans are well aware, but now Holmes can make up for it in a huge way next month when free agency begins.Â
In a perfect world, Detroit would love to have a pass rush group featuring Hutchinson, Chubb, and Muhammad for the foreseeable future. However, given their financial situation and pending extensions, it's not feasible. But that doesn’t mean Detroit shouldn’t try, as it's not every day that a two-time Pro Bowl with 48 sacks hits the open market.