Chop Robinson isn’t trying to change much about his play this season.
The Miami Dolphins’ 2024 first-round pick had an impressive second half of his rookie season, and his continuing development is one of the most important pieces of the Dolphins defense.
“For me it’s just doing the same things I was doing last year that led up to my success last year, but just being more keyed in on it and understanding, watching film, understanding what I’m watching, get more keys I can pick up on from the tackle or just the offense,” Robinson told reporters Wednesday. “Then, for goals of mine, I just want to keep it to myself and just show the world and show myself.”
Chop not wanting to change much about his preparation and play style makes sense, given how successful he was down the stretch last season.
Robinson had just 11 quarterback pressures during the first eight weeks last season, but he turned the corner in the season’s second half. From Week 9 on, Robinson posted 45 quarterback pressures, including 10 in the Dolphins’ Week 12 win against the New England Patriots.
The young pass rusher also recorded all six of his sacks from last season during that stretch.
Robinson started to line up further outside of opposing tackles, allowing his patented speed and explosiveness to overwhelm offensive linemen. That led to many reps like this one.
“I enjoyed it a little bit, but it’s Year 2, so whatever happened in the past, that doesn’t really matter anymore, Robinson said. “I’m just focused on this year.”
Chop’s New Pass Rush Mates
Although Robinson might not want to change much about his on-field play, he will be playing around different players this coming season.
Bradley Chubb missed all of last season with a knee injury he suffered at the end of the 2023 season. That left him in more of a mentorship role for Robinson, as Chubb would try to help Robinson from the sidelines.
Now that Chubb is cleared to do on-field work, he’s become a hands-on teacher.
“It’s kind of like the same thing he was doing when he was off the field with me last year, just tuning into the things that he was able to do,” Robinson said about Chubb.
“Now that he can do everything, we’re just tuning it up again, but now we’re doing it together instead of him just being a mentor, a teacher. He’s still doing the same thing, being a mentor and stuff, but he’s also out there helping me perfect my craft.”
Chubb isn’t the only premier pass rusher the Dolphins should get back from injury this season. Jaelan Phillips suffered a torn ACL in Week 4 of last season, his second straight year with a season-ending injury.
A pass rush group that includes a healthy Chubb and Phillips, plus a more developed Robinson, could anchor Miami’s entire defense. The potential success Miami’s three best edge rushers could have isn’t lost on Robinson.
“I’m super excited," Robinson said. "Just imagining the three of us on the field at the same time, or just me and ‘JP’ (Jaelan Phillips), or ‘JP’ and (Bradley) Chubb at the same time, it’s kind of hard for tackles to (say), ‘All right, you’ve got to study JP, you’ve got to study Chubb, you’ve got to study me.'
“And if we’re all on the field at the same time, it can kind of mess up the offense’s mind because they wouldn’t know what to do.”
While most of the Dolphins’ pass rush should come from Phillips, Chubb and Robinson, the team spent three draft picks on the interior of the defensive line, including selecting Kenneth Grant 13th overall.
Robinson and Grant were on opposite sides of the Penn State and Michigan rivalry in college, but now, Robinson is trying to advise Grant on handling his rookie season.
“I’ve kind of talked to him every day since he’s been in here, just chirping in his ear, just to get to him,” Robinson said. “I’ve been in that position last year, being a first-round pick, and a lot of outsiders try to put a lot of pressure on you, but honestly, it’s just football at the end of the day.
“You’re just going out there, and once you get comfortable, you get the playbook down, it’s football again. You don’t have to put too much pressure on yourself, so I just keep telling him that.”
Miami’s pass rush is extra important this season because of how underwhelming the team’s cornerback room looks. The Dolphins’ ability to generate pressure without blitzing could largely dictate how well the team’s young secondary holds up.
Chop understands the pressure he and the other defensive linemen are under but knows he can live up to the hype.
“For me, I’m going to just keep the same thing that’s been keeping me going,” Robinson said. “So I’m not going to change anything until I have to.”
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