The Miami Dolphins have released linebacker Bradley Chubb in order to save a huge $31million against the salary cap for the 2026 season.
Chubb, 29, is a two-time Pro Bowler and is now looking for a new team for next season, something which shouldn’t be too difficult for him to finalize.
But for new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley, losing a man of Chubb’s experience will take some replacing, even if it frees up some room on the salary cap.
The 2026 cap has not yet been officially confirmed by the NFL but is widely believed to come in at over $300million. But even with that in mind, it seems Chubb’s days with the team were numbered.
According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, Chubb was always destined to be released no matter who came in and replaced Mike McDaniel as the Dolphins’ head coach due to his salary.
Chubb, who had been in Miami since 2022, is not the only big name who is set to be heading through the exit door at the Dolphins during what is anticipated to be a huge offseason of upheavel.
The Miami Dolphins have released star linebacker Bradley Chubb, saving $31million
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is widely expected to leave after being benched in the latter stages of the 2025 campaign. He has said that a fresh start appeals to him and despite McDaniel’s exit, that view is believed to be the same.
There is also a big question over the future of star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who missed most of last year with a knee injury.
As well as being highly-regarded for his ability on the field, Chubb won praise for his work off it last season with a nomination for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year honor.
The Dolphins had a disastrous start to the 2025 season and were 1-6 before McDaniel managed to get his team to click into a winning gear. It was ultimately too late for them to make the postseason – their 7-10 record seeing them finish third in the AFC East.
McDaniel initially looked set to hang onto his job – he survived NFL’s ‘black Monday’ before being fired in the middle of the week.
Hafley, meanwhile, is heading into his first season as an NFL coach, departing from his role as Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator to head to Florida.