Latest Bradley Chubb injury update lowers optimism for Dolphins return

Since last season, Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb can only watch from the sidelines. Each week, there is no positive news about when he might return after suffering an ACL injury late last year. With Jaelan Phillips out this year after a brief return, the pressure is on Chop Robinson.

According to Mike McDaniel, there is still no timetable for a Chubb return. McDaniel said that he will not return to practice this week, and considering he has yet to make any progress, the Dolphins will not likely bring him back next week against the Green Bay Packers. That will be a short week for the Dolphins.

For now, his best-case scenario would be the following week against the New York Jets. That game is still a couple of weeks away, but the longer week after their Thanksgiving game would allow him a little more practice time to gauge where he is.

When Chubb does return to practice, it would be surprising if he played at all in that weekend's game. Chubb has to work up to game speed, and regardless of how many years he has been in the league, he has missed almost a year of football, and he needs to get back into football shape.

Chop Robinson will continue to shoulder the load for the Miami Dolphins with Bradley Chubb still sidelined

Robinson is having a quiet season, but he statistically ranks high in pressures. While his impact on opposing offenses may not be making a lot of noise, his impact is quite noticeable.

He is getting consistent pressure and forcing plays the other teams don't want to make. If his sack totals were higher, Robinson would probably be talked about on a national level.

The rookie continues to do his job well, and that is good for the Dolphins, who need him to keep it up through the final weeks of the season.

Miami would be smart to let Chubb sit the next few weeks out and see how what happens with the team. If Miami climbs back into a playoff seed, it would make sense to work him back into the rotation later in the year, but he may be more useful if he practiced but didn't play until the postseason if Miami makes it.

If the Dolphins lose a game or two, they will not make the postseason, and at that point, there would be no reason for Chubb to return in 2024.