Can Miami’s Pass Rush Carry an Unproven Secondary in 2025?

The Miami Dolphins didn’t spend much to rebuild the secondary this offseason, but a healthy pass rush could be enough to mask one of the team’s least experienced position groups in 2025.

Miami is banking on a mix of one-year stopgaps and long-term projects in the secondary on a defense that also features three former first-round edge rushers up front. Chop Robinson, last year’s top pick, aims to build on a promising six-sack rookie season, while the return of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips adds a much-needed boost to a pass rush that ranked just 26th in sacks per game last year.

“We’ve been talking about it since Chop got here, but it’ll be cool to actually get to do it, ”Phillips said of the trio playing together. “Also, just another year under the belt for our defense under [Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver]. 

“I think you’ll see things open up a little more, so it will be exciting.”

The Dolphins want to flip the blueprint after leaning on a veteran secondary that featured 30-plus years of professional experience between Jordan Poyer, Kendall Fuller, and Jalen Ramsey last season. On top of that, Miami lost one of its most dependable defenders when safety Jevon Holland signed a three-year deal with the New York Giants after playing at least 700 snaps in each of his four seasons in South Florida.

Last season, Weaver’s defense ranked 10th in passing yards allowed per game (210) and tied for second with the Dallas Cowboys in third-down conversions allowed per game (4.4), despite a lack of consistent pressure up front. In 2025, the expectation is that a dynamic pass rush can take the lead and give the rebuilt secondary time to settle in.

“We’ve got packages and stuff that he’s installed that he hasn’t quite said – right now, it’s an X on the position,” Chubb said when asked how Weaver will get all three pass rushers on the field. “So he said, ‘OK, we could put anybody in this position and do this and do that,’ but hasn’t directly said it yet. 

“When training camp comes around and we start getting into the flow of things, we’ll see the numbers pop up for each position and moving around, so it’s going to be fun.”

Chubb and Phillips were a stout duo on the edge the last time they shared the field in 2023. Chubb started 16 games, finishing with 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, while Phillips broke free for six sacks in five games before a torn Achilles ended his season in late November.

With both players healthy and back in the mix, Miami’s edge group is in much better shape than it was last season. 

Robinson’s Next Step as a Playmaker

There’s a steady foundation in place, and a Year 2 jump from Robinson would go a long way toward limiting how much time opposing quarterbacks have to test a new-look secondary.

“Chop has been having a hell of an OTAs,” Phillips said. “His improvement from last year to this year is so noticeable, it’s insane. Especially if you really know the nitty gritty of it, so I’m really proud of Chop, really excited to see how he’s going to keep progressing. 

Robinson finished his rookie season ranked ninth in total pressures (56), according to Pro Football Focus. After recording three or fewer pressures in each of his first eight games, he closed the year with four or more pressures in six of his final nine.

Carrying that late-season momentum into 2025, Robinson is positioned to become a featured piece on defense as the Dolphins lean on the pass rush to set the tone up front.

“Sitting down with Chop, seeing when he started to turn it on, I’m just smiling from ear to ear because I know the potential we have,” Chubb said. “I know when [Jaelan] got back, once I got back, it was going to be a lot of thinking for the offensive side to do.

“I don’t want to put a number on what we’re going to do yet, but I feel like if we all stay healthy, all keep our heads on straight, it could be special.”

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