How long will Bradley Chubb remain sidelined? LB provides update

Bradley Chubb returned to the Denver Broncos in Week 2 from an ankle injury. Unfortunately, as quickly as he returned, he re-aggravated the injury. The 2018 fifth overall pick was an impactful pass rusher in his rookie season. He and Von Miller formed one of the most talented pass rush tandems in the NFL. But injuries have since mounted on the former first-round pick.

Bradley Chubb's injury placed him on injured reserve Tuesday. He could return towards the tail end of the season.

How long will Bradley Chubb be on injured reserve?

According to Broncos beat reporter Zac Stevens, Chubb will be out until the second half of the season. The unofficial timetable is six-to-eight weeks. But that's an optimistic timetable. Considering Chubb's history with the injury, he could be held out longer as a precaution.

He's undergoing surgery to remove a bone spur in his left ankle on Wednesday. If the surgery goes well, he should return without side effects. Chubb was held out of Week 1 as a precaution. He wanted to return as soon as possible and thought he'd be okay in Week 2. Chubb went into further detail on how he re-aggravated it in an interview on the Broncos' Twitter page.

Bradley Chubb is one of several Broncos to be bit by the injury bug in 2021

The Broncos have had a successful start to the season. They're one of the last two undefeated teams in the AFC. But despite that, they've been hit hard with critical injuries. Chubb is just one Broncos player who will miss a fair amount of the season.

Jerry Jeudy is lucky to only be out six games. When he went down, it had the look of a season-ending injury. Luckily, the Broncos are deep at wide receiver and Courtland Sutton stepped up in his absence in Week 2. Cornerback Ronald Darby's injury is a short-term one. But Patrick Surtain II did an admirable job in his place. He had an interception and one pass defended.

Linebacker Josey Jewell wasn't so lucky. He suffered a torn pec and will be out for the remainder of the season. Jewell had 113 tackles in 2020 and was a rising star. Losing Bradley Chubb and Jewell at the same time is a big blow to the linebacker's core.

Bradley Chubb will return this season and will be pressured to produce immediately. He's entering a contract year next season and needs to show he can stay healthy. He's missed a lot of time and will have to produce at a high level to earn an extension.