It's one game, and the sky is not falling for the Miami Dolphins. This is a different kind of season. Miami isn't expected to be better than the team that finishes last in the entire league, because they may be that team.
The Dolphins will lean heavily on their veteran players, but there are only a handful of them who are proven. So far, Chop Robinson is not one of them. Now entering his 3rd season, there are a lot of expectations that he will take a step forward in 2026. If Week 1 was any indication, it isn't going to happen.
Robinson's 2026 debut was a dud. The entire offseason was hype and great practice sessions against an offensive line that was in flux. On Sunday, Robinson generated one tackle assist on Sunday, but when the official stats were released on Monday, Robinson was credited with no tackles and no QB pressures.
Chop Robinson has yet to give the Miami Dolphins a reason for a 5th-year option
It's so hard to imagine a player being in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation only to see that same player become invisible the following season. Robinson wasn't good last year, something he talked about during this past offseason.
Robinson isn't going to flip the narrative just yet, at least based on Week 1. The Dolphins' edge rushers are a problem, but Jeff Hafley believed that Robinson would be a standout. Against the Raiders, he struggled to force his way inside, whether he was being blocked by one or two linemen.
It wasn't an inconsistent game; it was simply not a good one. Robinson knows he has to be better, but Hafley also has to start thinking about how he can best use him. If there is one thing we are seeing, it's that Robinson can't consistently handle coming off the edge every play without getting help.
Miami's defensive line was horrible against the Raiders, who moved them as much as two yards off the snap consistently. It's a reason why Ashton Jeanty was able to create problems inside. It will get worse next week when Miami plays Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers.
Robinson did not present a problem for the Raiders' tackles. Neither he nor Josh Uche could get pressure, and they made both Kolton Miller and D.J. Glaze two of the top-rated tackles in Week 1.
The media was impressed with the work that Robinson put in this offseason. He is leaner with more muscle mass, but none of that mattered on Sunday. The Dolphins will need to make a decision on his 5th-year option after this season concludes; he has 16 more games to prove his value. His performance and consistency have to get better.
Add us as a preferred source on Google