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Denver Broncos: Rookie report card through the bye week

By Sayre Bedinger

DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 4: Running back Phillip Lindsay #30 of the Denver Broncos runs onto the field during player introductions before a game against the Houston Texans at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 4, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 4: Running back Phillip Lindsay #30 of the Denver Broncos runs onto the field during player introductions before a game against the Houston Texans at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 4, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 4: Quarterback Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans drops to the ground to avoid a hit by defensive end DeMarcus Walker #57 and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb #55 of the Denver Broncos in the second quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 4, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 4: Quarterback Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans drops to the ground to avoid a hit by defensive end DeMarcus Walker #57 and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb #55 of the Denver Broncos in the second quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 4, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

Bradley Chubb

Bradley Chubb’s rookie season started with a bang as he combined for a sack on the first pass rush rep of the season with Darian Stewart, but after that, it was a bit of tough sledding for the rookie.

Over the past six weeks, however, Chubb has hit a stride.

He has eight sacks in the Broncos’ first nine games, putting him on pace to break Jevon Kearse’s 20-year old record of 14.5 sacks by a rookie.

Chubb is also third in the NFL right now in Pro Football Focus‘ pass rush productivity metric, which measures pressures (hits, hurries, sacks) on a per-snap basis. So, essentially what that means is there are only two players in the NFL right now (Jerry Hughes of Buffalo and Dee Ford of Kansas City) who are pressuring the quarterback at a higher rate than Chubb.

He’s been everything the Broncos expected and then some in his rookie season.

As he continues to improve his all-around game, Chubb has provided the Broncos with something they desperately needed: a pass rusher to take pressure off of Von Miller. The pressure he’s taken off has resulted in a team-high nine sacks for Von (though PFF credits him for 10).

Chubb is a superstar in the making.

Pick grade: A+

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