Why It Might Be Time to Reset Expectations for Chop Robinson

Chop Robinson and the Miami Dolphins’ pass rush were expected to be one of the team’s best units, but things haven’t gone according to plan through three weeks.

The winless Dolphins have just six sacks, with Robinson’s lone sack coming in Week 2 against Drake Maye and the New England Patriots. While the 2024 first-round pick was projected to continue his rise after finishing last season as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year, it may be time to adjust expectations after a sluggish start to his sophomore season. 

Bradley Chubb leads the Dolphins with three sacks, while two inside linebackers, Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson, join Robinson with one sack. Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are Miami’s top two edge rushers after three weeks, each in their first season back following significant time missed due to injury last year.

Tenth-year vet Matthew Judon was added to the mix during training camp as additional depth, but Robinson, 22, is the lone rotational player still growing into his role.

Depth Chart vs. Snap Count

Depth charts don’t always reflect what happens on the field, but Miami made a point to list Chubb, Phillips and Robinson as starters. Phillips and Chubb have each played over 60 percent of defensive snaps through three weeks, but Robinson is at 43 percent and hasn’t played more than 24 snaps since Week 1.

Robinson tends to be most effective in passing situations, and Miami’s early-season game scripts may have limited his opportunities. Both the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts held double-digit leads in the first half, controlling the clock and running the football.

However, Robinson played a season-low 22 snaps against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, which remained a one-possession game until late in the fourth quarter. It was his fewest snaps since 16 in his NFL debut against the Jaguars in Week 1 last season.

With Josh Allen dropping back just 28 times, the Dolphins leaned on rookies Kenneth Grant (39 snaps) and Jordan Phillips (30) to clog the trenches and stop the run rather than generate pressure off the edge. Since Buffalo had little trouble running, averaging 5.8 yards on 27 attempts, there were few clear passing situations where Robinson could be unleashed.

In total, Robinson has played 83 defensive snaps this season, and opposing offenses ran on 43 of them. Of the 36 snaps he rushed the passer, his sack of Maye in Week 2 is the only time he’s produced pressure, according to Pro Football Focus.

Robinson’s lone start last season came in Week 7 against the Colts, and it was the only game in which he didn’t log a pressure in 17 appearances. Through three games this season, he’s failed to pressure the quarterback in two of them. 

Revisiting Robinson’s Rookie Season

Robinson was the fourth edge rusher selected in the 2024 draft and was thrown into the fire as a rookie. Chubb was recovering from a 2023 knee injury, Phillips suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4, and free agent addition Shaq Barrett announced his retirement in July.

Robinson answered the call and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-Rookie Team after appearing in all 17 games with 26 tackles, eight behind the line of scrimmage. He added 14 quarterback hits and his six sacks were second among all rookies, trailing only Braden Fiske of the Los Angeles Rams. 

In 2021, Phillips had six sacks in a three-game span and set the Dolphins rookie sack record with 8.5. Similar to Phillips, Robinson’s sacks came in waves, with 3.5 over four weeks and then had 2.5 between Weeks 15 and 16. 

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler led the Dolphins with 10 sacks. Robinson was the only other player to take down opposing quarterbacks more than five times. He played 53 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps and finished the year with 56 quarterback pressures, but only 14 came before Week 10 against the Rams, according to Pro Football Focus.

Robinson experienced the expected highs and lows of a rookie carrying a hefty work load. His skill set, defined by speed off the edge, isn’t necessarily a fit for every matchup in the NFL, especially early in his career. The first-team All-Big Ten defensive end from Penn State played more than 60 percent of snaps in four games last year — and didn’t record a sack in any of them.

The Pace of Development

The Dolphins defense entered the year vulnerable with new players at all three levels, and their challenges have only been magnified by an 0‑3 start.

Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is still determining the best way to utilize a pass-rush rotation that features four players who each see between 35 and 65 percent of snaps. On top of that, the Dolphins are leaning on younger players alongside Sieler at defensive tackle after Calais Campbell, who started 17 games last season, joined the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. 

Robinson didn’t look like a full-time player as a rookie, and those concerns have carried into his second season. That said, few players have been consistently effective on a defense that ranks 31st in points allowed per game (32.3), 28th in opponent yards per pass attempt (8.5), 23rd in opponent yards per rush attempt (4.5), and 32nd in opponent third down conversion percentage (52.63 percent). 

Unlike his rookie season, Miami has additional depth on the edge, and Robinson isn’t seeing a consistent work load as the Dolphins try to find lineups that can disrupt opposing offenses. If Miami can start putting offenses behind in the down-and-distance and creating more opportunities for stops, Robinson will have chances to establish himself as a bigger factor alongside Chubb and Phillips.

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