The lights are on for Miami Dolphins rookie outside linebacker Chop Robinson.
The No. 21 pick in the 2024 NFL draft had a slow start to his first season, having no sacks in the Dolphins' first seven games. But that gave way to a strong November for the rookie.
In three games this month, Robinson has recorded two sacks, two tackles for a loss and 15 pressures. Only five players in the NFL — Tuli Tuipulotu, Jeffery Simmons, Trey Hendrickson, Jared Verse and Kyle Van Noy — have seen more pressure in the last three weeks. And all of them managed at least 100 pass-rushing snaps, while Robinson recorded his 15 pressures in 78 snaps.
His rate of receiving a pressure on 23.9 percent of his rushes is the best in the NFL among players who have had more than 40 pass-rushing snaps over the last three weeks.
Heat Chop Robinson
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm)
“He found a way to disrupt the passer for us, and that's exactly what the doctor ordered at the right time,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.
With Jaelan Phillips out this year with a knee injury and Bradley Chubb still not returning from the knee injury he suffered at the end of the 2023 season, the Miami pass rush desperately needed Robinson's increase in production.
The question now is how his recent success will impact opponents' game plans and whether the rest of the Dolphins defense can take advantage of it.
“Once you make plays or cause disruptions, you have to find a way to impact the game once people pay the appropriate attention that occurs whenever you impact the game,” McDaniel said.
“If someone pays special attention to Chop, he has to be productive in these situations. And then his teammates have to take advantage of the extra space – whether it's a halfback coming out late because he's trying to get out or a guard going to the tackle to provide help, which in turn creates a certain lightness on the inside defense provides. All of these things play a role. … We have to pick up on his positive plays and make more positive plays.”
The Dolphins expect Chubb to return at some point this season, but McDaniel hasn't indicated that will happen any time soon. If the team wants to continue its push into the postseason, Robinson will need to continue his rise as a bright spot on defense.
