The Miami Dolphins restructured linebacker Bradley Chubb’s contract this week. The move should give them space to make free agency moves.
The Miami Dolphins continue to position themselves for the 2025 NFL league year and start of free agency with internal roster moves. While the focus is typically on players who will be cut to create salary cap space, internal contract restructures can often create even more space. For the Dolphins, a major contract restructure was reported earlier in the week, though how much it would save the team was not known at the time.
When the 2024 NFL season came to an end, the Dolphins were projected to be around $12 million over the 2025 cap. With the cap increasing more than expected and a few roster moves, including releasing running back Raheem Mostert, tight end Durham Smythe, and cornerback Kendall Fuller, Miami had moved to the correct side of the salary cap limit, but they still had work to do it they were going to have the space needed to sign free agents, make trades, and sign their draft picks this year.
Bradley Chubb contract restructure
Linebacker Bradley Chubb missed all of the 2024 season after tearing his ACL late in the 2023 campaign. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Chubb was expected to team up with linebacker Jaelan Phillips, also returning from a major injury, and Chop Robinson, the team’s first-round draft pick last year, to create a dynamic set of edge rushers.
The missed playing time, the uncertainty of his injury situation, and the emergence of Robinson, led to questions about Chubb’s roster security for the 2025 season. Chubb was set to have a $28.7 million sap number in 2025, with $27.4 of that dead money if the team released him. However, Miami could create space in the summer if they were to release Chubb with a post-June 1 designation, a move that would provide the team with $19.6 million in savings starting in June – and a real possibility that Chubb could be released so Miami has the money for draft-pick signing and injury moves during the year.
On Wednesday, however, news broke that Chubb agreed to a restructured contract with the Dolphins. The report indicated Chubb’s salary was reduced for 2025, though he would still be able to earn all the money back with playing time and other incentives.
How much money did the move save the Dolphins?
Chubb salary cap savings
On Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero provide the initial numbers for Chubb’s new deal. According to Pelissero, the Dolphins cleared $16.3 million off their salary cap. That is a huge savings for a team that had been projected to be over the cap just a few weeks ago.
Chubb contract
2025 salary cap number: $12.4 million
2025 salary: $3.2 million
2025 pro-rated signing bonus: $9.1 million
2025 per-game roster bonus: $680k
2025 workout bonus: $100k
2026 salary cap number: $29.3 million
2027 salary cap number: $29.7 million
2028 salary cap number: $2.8 million (Void Year)
All details via OverTheCap.com
Dolphins cap situation following Chubb deal
With the earlier moves, the Dolphins were around $12 million under the cap. Following the Chubb deal, Miami now has around $28.4 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
Miami is still 22nd in the league in terms of cap space available, but they are sitting in a much better position with over $28 million to spend as free agency begins next week.
