5 Dolphins veterans who could be released to save salary cap space

Chubb was an exciting midseason addition in 2022 and led the Dolphins in sacks a year later with 11. But that 2023 season ended with a knee injury severe enough that it cost him all of his 2024 season too. When Chubb returns to action in the fall, he’ll be 20 months removed from his last NFL game.

Perhaps he’ll pick up where he left off and be a ferocious pass rusher in 2025. But his $28.7 million salary cap hit in 2025 (and even larger hits in 2026 and 2027) makes hoping for that a tough gamble for the Dolphins.

There’s many ways to handle the situation and make Chubb’s contract more manageable. A restructure or an extension could clear space. But so could parting with Chubb and moving forward with the pass rushing duo of Jaelan Phillips and Chop Robinson in the starting lineup.

Getting something back in a trade involving Chubb would be the more palatable solution, but that’s hoping a team is willing to take on a lot of contract. By releasing the pass rusher with a post-June 1 designation, the Dolphins could get back just under $20 million in cap savings later this year.