Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Should the Bears pursue veteran pass rusher Bradley Chubb?

Episode Date: February 16, 2026

Marshall Harris and Russ Dorsey debated whether the Bears should pursue veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb after the Dolphins chose to release him to open up salary cap space. Chubb had 8.5 sacks in 2025 after missing the 2024 season with an ACL injury.

It's a good morning because, well, we're here. And you probably have the day off because it's President's Day. Happy President's Day to all who celebrated is Rahimi Harris and Grotty alongside Russell Dorsey, National Insider in Major League Baseball for Yahoo Sports. I am Marshall Harris, and we're here to get you through the holiday, four hours of good times, lots of baseball talk. But we're going to start in the NFL because Bradley Chubb is now an option for all the team. out there who might need a little help with their pass rush, with affecting the opposing team's quarterback. And I think the Bears fall under that purview.

Would you not agree, Russell Dorsey? That's a real dude. Hello, everybody out there on your day off. I hope you enjoyed. It's supposed to be really nice. So get outside and get some air. Or you can listen on the Odyssey app, too, to me and Marshall Harris. But no, that's a real dude, Bradley Chubb.

That is now going to be a free agent. And you start to think about the Chicago Bears. We're getting to that time of year. to March right before the draft and free agency opens up and we're talking about the bears who probably have more holes on the defense than the offense right now after what we saw in 2025 from them and I think we can clearly say the pass rush is an area where they have to improve in 2026. I think it's their second biggest area to address right behind left tackle because you need a quality starting left tackle which if you've watched the last two super

Super Bowls, you've learned that lesson the hard way. Shout out to the Philadelphia Eagles defense in 2024, and of course, the Seattle Seahawks defense in 2025. Here's the deal. This was not an unexpected move per se because they had restructured his contract last year, Bradley Chub, the two-time pro bowler and pass rusher. That resulted in a $31.2 million cap hit for 2026. NFL Network insider Tom Pelliserro reporting this to

day. So that's a big name that's leaving Miami. Chubb leading the team in sacks during each of his last two healthy seasons. He had 11 sacks in 2023 to go along with a league leading six force fumbles. And then he had his torn ACL, which cost him the entirety of 2024. And last season, he had eight and a half sacks to pace the Miami Dauphins. And they always say that first year back from the ACL isn't them back at their peak. It's usually the second year coming off. injuries such as that when you see the best of the player. Now, he's young. He's only 29. He's heading into his age 30 season. He's been a Bronco. He's been a dolphin. He's got 48 career sacks. This seems like a guy, if you are in the market for a pass wretcher, which a lot of

people believe the bears are, he seems like a guy that might jump ahead into your top three, top two, maybe even your number one target now to the likes of Trey Hendricks. And of course, we know about Max Crosby who would cost you some other stuff. Miles Garrett would cost you more than your arm and your leg. It costs you all four of your body limbs at this point because he's the best defensive player in all of football. Right. So if you're the Bears, how much are you leaning into this? And obviously you've got to kick the tires and see if this fits for you, have a conversation with Dennis Allen.

What do you think you can do this? If this is a priority over other guys. But are you interested? and if so, what is your interest level, Russ? Yeah, definitely interested. Like, this is a guy who is still in the primus career, 29, going to his age 30 season. Also, Montes Sweat, 29, going to his age 30 season.

So you'd have two bookends to your defensive line that are the same age, still young, can still get after the quarterback. I think when you think about what Montes Sweat has been and what's supposed to be for the Chicago Bears, Now, he had the best year his career as a bear, 10 sacks, three-force fumbles. But I do think there were moments where he's just like, man, like this part of the game where you need your big-time pass rusher to come through, he wasn't always able to show up.

I think part of that sometimes is there is nobody else really getting after the quarterback. And the one guy that has that ability, if you're getting double-teamed or you're getting chipped, that you're not going to have that guy there. I think adding a guy like a Bradley Chubb, a Trey Hendrick, and a Max Crosby, Miles Garrett, of course, would help tremendously to Montes sweat as a pass rusher himself. But yeah, I would say if from scale 1 to 10, my interest in Bradley Chubb,

it's probably an eight. Because I think when you just talk about it's the, the fact that you don't have to give up draft compensation, as much as I love Max Crosby, as much as I love Miles Garrett, you're going to have to have serious conversations. You're still a team that has holes, right? You can't necessarily afford to lose some of that draft capital that you have in 2026. It doesn't say I wouldn't do it, but you have to have more serious conversations about it.

That is the voice of Russell Dorsey. He is the Yahoo Sports National Insider for Yahoo. And from Major League Baseball, I got to say, Russ, when you look at this team and understand where all the money is on the defensive side of the ball and how much has already been. invested. You talked about Montez Sweat. We kind of leave out Dio O'Dingbo because he was out for the season and we don't know if he'll be ready for the start of next season, but there's a lot of money there as well. And you start looking around Grady Jarrett at guys that they have already gone and paid in the free agent market. I wonder if they have the ability to go and get a chub when, again,

it's not like the bears are operating in a vacuum here. Lots of teams need an established young, not quite over the hill pass rusher, and Chubb certainly fits the bill. And they have some salary cap gymnastics that they're going to have to do, and you can do that in the NFL where you can create, you know, cap space, et cetera, giving guys bonuses, things like that restructurings. But yeah, you're going to have some things that you're going to have to do.

You're going to have some cap casualties, guys that you're going to have to cut to make sure you have enough space to improve your roster. That's going to have to happen. I know a guy like Tremaine Edmonds is a guy that people talk about potentially being that guy. You have guys that are free agents that you're going to want to bring back, right? Kevin Byart, at an all-pro season this past year is one of the leaders of your defense.

That's going to be a priority for them. What do you do at running back, right? Do you bring back DeAndre Swift after the best season of his career? So you have other things that you have to figure out this offseason going into free agency, going into the draft prior to you saying, okay, let's go after pass rusher X, Y, or Z. So it'll be interesting to see what they ultimately decide on,

but I agree with you fully that a elite pass rusher is much needed. Call us, text us, 312, 64-4-67, let us know what you think about this Bradley Chubb news that he is going to be available as the dolphins are preparing to cut him. One comment on the text line, 773. Dolphins didn't trade Chubb and now they're cutting him to get stuck with dead cap. So strange. Another comment,

708, bears should target Hendrickson so they can save their draft picks Dodger boy. Now that's the thing. Trey Hendrickson, a little bit older, but also he's had better seasons than Chubb. I would think that if you're ranking who you'd rather have on the Bears, Hendrickson

still above Chubb. I just think Chubb is probably above Crosby and the aforementioned Miles Garrett because he doesn't cost you anything. And the Bears are in a position right now where they need to get better through the draft. They did that last year to a degree. Shamar Turner, not available at the end of the season, but you're hoping he's a Frazier. Some of these other guys can contribute on the defensive side of the ball, because let's be honest, they didn't get anything on defense through the draft. I hear what you're saying. But I'm going to say if you have a legitimate shot to acquire Max Crosby or Miles

Garrett, you have to do that. Because it's one thing to get a question. quality pass rusher via trade where you give up draft capital. It's another thing when you're getting one of the two best pass rushers in the NFL, two Hall of Fame caliber pass rushers. Do you have a path to Miles Garrett? Like what does that package look like? I think even giving up something for Max Crosby is going to bankrupt your next two first round picks at the minimum.

So for Garrett, it's got to be two first rounders and then what? Because here's my thing. If it's two first rounders, you have to ask yourself the question of, is it worth it to give up a guy who would potentially be a starter and likely a defensive player that you draft in the first round or the best pass rush her in the NFL? It's always better to get the best pass rusher in the NFL. I'm not arguing that point as we discuss. Like one of the guys we just talked about just broke the sack record. Yes, Miles Garrett. He did that.

He also tackled Caleb Williams behind the line of scrimmage for a sack on the way to do. guaranteed, well, let's call it on the low end, 15 sacks a season. 15 sacks of season. Why would Cleveland give him up then? I don't know. See that it takes two. Well, teams do it all the time. I don't think they do it all the time.

The Cleveland Browns, you talk about roster holes, they have a lot more than the Chicago Bears, and they could use the draft capital. You have a new head coach. I will say, as good as the bears were on offense through the draft from their crop of rookies. That's how good that Cleveland was on their side, on the defensive side of the ball. When you look at Swiginger and some of the other moves that they were able to make in the draft and get their defense a little bit stronger. That is true. I just don't think there's a path to Miles Garrett based on what it would cost to get him. I'm freestyling here if Max

Crosby cost you a first and a third. Well, yeah, but they're going to need more than a first and a third for Max Crosby. Another team is willing to give up more than a first and a third for Max Crosby. Again, I think a lot of times, I think you're doing it right now. Bears fans look at the NFL in this way that it's a vacuum. Like it's fantasy football. And if I could just make this one offer against these other 10 teams that might want this hot player. There's 32 teams in the NFL.

Oh, no. I'm not doing that because, you know, I don't care one way or another from like a bias aspect. I just know sometimes what it ends up costing to acquire said player isn't as much as you think it is? Yes. Okay. Okay. Because it's like if I have to pay the cap hit that it's going to take to bring player X in, I'm not going to have to just pay that. And then also give you every first round pick I have for the next three years.

6.30 is with you, Russ. I'm with Russ. No more half measures. Go get a dude. Yes. A real dude. The Dio O'Donbo, let's get a guy with traits. But you already paid Dio Dengbo.

And he's only in the second year of his deal. Sunk cost. Sunk cost. Because you're talking about coming off an injury. You're not even going to see what you think is the real Dio O Dengbo until the following season. You're probably right about that. You know what I mean?

You're probably right about that. We're talking about Bradley Chub becoming available as the dolphins are going to cut him and his team leading eight and a half sacks from a year ago before he tore his ACL and missed all of 2024. He had an 11.5 sacks and six force fumbles. So he's certainly doing big things and now he's going to get big money as a free agent. The dolphins let him go. The bears could scoop him up.

But Russ is out here saying, if it ain't Max Crosby, if it ain't Miles Garrett, that's my starting point. But you would take Bradley Chubb. Yes, but I'm saying my priority, if I had to rank them, Garrett Crosby, Hendrickson, Chubb. So Hendrickson's still above Chubb. I agree with you there. But Chub, having been not an option, now being an option, certainly looks good for a Bears team that is probably still looking to see what they can do up front.

If I had to rank them by what's realistic, I would also say. Let's do that. I would also say I would take Garrett off the board because he's probably the hardest to acquire of those four. and then I would still go Crosby-Hendrickson show. Okay. See, now we're getting somewhere. We're getting somewhere. And that's a great place to leave that because we do have to talk some baseball. It's Rahimi Harris and Grotie. Happy President's Day to all of you who are off.

And for all of you are working, we feel you. We know the struggle. It's Russ Dorsey Inn alongside myself, Marshall Harris. Reminder, you can call in Texas 312-644-6-7-67, and then we are broadcasting live from the Hyundai Studios. Brought to you by your local Hyundai Dills, Behind the glass. Tyler Bueberball, you heard the open.

That man does serious surgery when it comes to taking what we did in our last show or what's coming up and adding a little wrinkle to it, a little humor, if you will. Ray Diaz, our executive producer. Also, if you're watching on Twitch, I'd like to thank our guys. Connor O'Donnell, Jacob Stutz,

Max Curtis, for getting us up and visual for you on this present state. When we come back, two hot segments with Russell Dorsey talking baseball, top three storylines for the Cubs, that's up next, and then following that, we'll do the top three storylines for the White Sox. That's all here on Rahimi Harrison Grotty on 1043, The Score.