Mile High Monday: The latest Bradley Chubb news is cause for concern

The Denver Broncos begin the next phase of OTAs on Monday, with rookies and veterans together to work out. It’s still the voluntary portion of the offseason and I’m sure the team won’t have 100 percent attendance, but most players will be there in this next offseason step.

I like this time of year when teams around the league start preparing for the upcoming season. It seems like the distant future, but we’ll see training camp get here before you know it.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Back in the Boot

It was revealed this week that Broncos pass-rusher Bradley Chubb had to undergo ankle surgery and will miss voluntary workouts this week – plus mandatory minicamp next month. Chubb had surgery to remove a bone spur in his ankle, according to reports. He will have to wear a walking boot for a few weeks but will be ready for training camp.

This is the same ankle that gave Chubb problems last year when he had to be shut down for the final two games of the regular season. There was a thought that Chubb could get the ankle to heal without surgery this offseason but that proved not to be the case. Instead, he underwent a routine and non-serious surgery to correct the problem.

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Chubb has just 20.5 sacks in 34 games as a pro. Injuries, mainly an ACL tear in 2019, have kept him off the field for more than a dozen games over the last three seasons. The Broncos selected Chubb with the idea that he could become one of the league’s best but that hasn’t come to fruition yet. He’s looked good, but Chubb has not been that dominant force that a player selected that high should be.

It’s worth noting that Chubb was credited with 34 pressures in 2020, more than the likes of Myles Garrett, Khalil Mack or J.J. Watt. That should be a great indicator for 2021 as many of those near misses should turn into sacks. This means Chubb could finally have his breakout year in 2021 – if he can stay healthy.

The procedure for Pro Bowl edge Bradley Chubb was only a scope to remove a bone spur, source said. Very common. Boot for a couple weeks and will be fully ready for camp. https://t.co/f5dNcAJ6GN

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 22, 2021

I just want to see Chubb and Von Miller healthy for a 17-game stretch. We haven’t seen that since 2018 during Chubb’s rookie season, when he finished with 12.0 sacks and Miller had 14.0.

Chubb has a ton of talent, but that rookie sack total is the most of his career. He could easily be the type of player who pushes for a 20-sack season, and I’d love to see it!

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Headed West?

The Atlanta Falcons are looking to trade superstar wide receiver Julio Jones and there’s a chance he winds up in the AFC West. In fact, there are two teams in this division that could have Jones on their radar. Reports and buzz around the NFL indicate both the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers could show interest in Jones.

When the Falcons selected tight end Kyle Pitts in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, many thought it was because they are in a “win now” mode and wanted a dangerous playmaker to go with guys like Jones in the passing attack. Now, with Jones clearly on the trade block, it appears the Falcons just need to free up some salary cap space.

Jones has a cap hit of just over $23 million with $40.5 million remaining in dead money. One of the primary things holding up any trade is Jones’ $15.3 million guaranteed salary in 2021, which the Falcons likely would have to pay a portion of if he is dealt.

Are the Atlanta Falcons trying to win now or not?@TheJoeMarino on the mixed messages the franchise is sending by shopping Julio Jones & why figuring out what kind of team they actually are is paramount.#FrontOffice33 | #RiseUpATLhttps://t.co/5iAuwgKzk9

— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) May 23, 2021

The Raiders are the type of team that has historically taken chances on veteran players near the end of their careers. I could see Raiders head coach Jon Gruden banging the table to add Jones to the roster. Jones would be their top wide receiver, and he’d be a great mentor for second-year pro Henry Ruggs.

The Chargers have Keenan Allen as their top target, but pairing him with Jones would be a dream come true for second-year quarterback Justin Herbert. They’ve done a good job putting weapons around Herbert, and they improved the protection for him this offseason by selecting left tackle Rashawn Slater in the 2021 NFL Draft. Adding Jones to that offense would almost be unfair.

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Let’s Go Deep

The Pat Shurmur offense is one that spreads things out with three wide receivers and then attacks a defense vertically. The Broncos have one of the best groups of wide receivers in the league, going four deep with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, K.J. Hamler and Tim Patrick. They have plenty of speed in that group, and different options to take the top off the defense.

Jeudy is the player to highlight when it comes to getting open deep. While he’s not a blazing wideout with 4.2 speed, Jeudy is plenty fast, gets to top speed in a hurry and uses precise route running to get by defenders with ease. That’s why as a rookie, Jeudy was able to make plays deep and that’s something which should continue in this system regardless of who is starting at quarterback.

The Broncos are going to split quarterback reps 50-50 between Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock this offseason. While that’s something I believe favors Bridgewater, we’ll have to see how things unfold in practice. Bridgewater is a smart veteran quarterback who is accurate on short-to-intermediate throws, but he’s not someone who is going to launch targets downfield with great regularity.

Most RECs of 15+ yards among rookies in 2020:

🥇Justin Jefferson – 35
🥈Jerry Jeudy – 26
🥉Tee Higgins – 22 pic.twitter.com/b02NhRhca5

— PFF (@PFF) May 23, 2021

Lock is the guy who can get the ball deep to Jeudy. They showed some flashes together in 2020, but their chemistry can be improved and perhaps that happens this year. Lock is battling for his starting job and to save his career and making Jeudy his best friend on the field is a great idea. The third-year quarterback can stand out by going deep – something that Bridgewater doesn’t do as well.

Lock needs to be more accurate on those short-to-intermediate throws like Bridgewater because they will move the chains. If he does that – and continues to attack deep – then he’ll be the Broncos starter in 2021.

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Update Your Calendar

There is a ton of Marvel content that is set to hit movie theaters (remember those?) and TV screens in the near future. It’s difficult to keep up with everything, but fans should be able to get back into the swing of things when it comes to ingesting all things Marvel.

The superhero genre is not played out, despite what some may say. Instead, we are seeing an influx of great products that feature superheroes from all different worlds and backgrounds. It’s not just Marvel, but that’s the universe that is most popular and features some of the best projects.

When looking at the rest of 2021, I’m looking forward to “Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage” the most when it comes to movies. I love Venom, but the first movie just scratched the surface as to what they can do with the character. Adding in a sadistic super-villain like Carnage just makes this a must-see movie for me.

Looking at the upcoming TV slate for Marvel and I’m most interested in the “What If?” series. It was a series of comic books for the last 40 years, and it would look at stories we all knew but with a twist.

One of my favorite issues (Volume 1, Issue 43) from when I was a kid was “What If Conan The Barbarian Were Stranded in the 20th Century?” It was cool to think what if something like that did happen. Instead of just seeing Conan in the Hyborian Age, he could be in the modern day and struggle to adapt and adjust. That was just one of the many interesting stories and twists the “What If?” series took.

2021 Marvel Countdown Days 🗓#WandaVision – Now!#TFATWS – Now!#MODOK – Now!#Loki – Jun 9#BlackWidow – Jul 9#WhatIf…? – Summer#ShangChi – Sep 3#VenomLetThereBeCarnage – Sep 24#MsMarvel – Late ‘21#Eternals – Nov 5#Hawkeye – Late ‘21#SpiderManNoWayHome – Dec 17 pic.twitter.com/fDlMERhg2G

— Marvelous Realm (@MarvelousRealm) May 21, 2021

What’s the next Marvel movie/TV show you’re most excited to see? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

Follow @CecilLammey