The Miami Dolphins need many relatively unproven players to step up in 2026 just to have a puncher's chance at being competitive. One true difference-maker who could take a massive leap forward is defensive end Chop Robinson.
With a new head coach in Jeff Hafley specializing on Robinson's side of the ball, the 2024 first-round pick has a golden opportunity to refine his craft and rally back from a sophomore slump.
Robinson's elite athleticism was what drove his draft stock through the roof in the first place when he came out of Penn State. He's only gotten stronger and more acclimated to the NFL game since then. Let's explore the main reason why the 23-year-old can get back to his promising rookie-season form under Hafley's watch.
The Miami Dolphins' new Wide-9 alignments should help unlock Chop Robinson's massive upside
For those who aren't in the weeds about football schematics, a Wide-9 alignment is easy enough to grasp — and it's the key to unlocking Chop Robinson's full potential.
Numbers are assigned from zero to nine on a defensive line. If a nose tackle is lined up directly over the center, that's a so-called "zero" technique. Defensive tackles in 4-3 fronts who aren't big enough to play nose are often aligned as a 3-technique. A base 4-3 defensive end is often playing a 5-technique.
Before we get more into that, though, Robinson has done his part to get ready for a new defensive scheme. In an article by Dolphins Wire's Mike Masala, which featured remarks from Hafley about Robinson playing the 9-technique, Chop explained his mindset entering 2026 and how he's striving to be a better all-around player:
"My eyes in the run game [...] were affecting everything else....So now that I got my eyes right, I feel like it's my hands and my feet is doing it natural now. [...] I'm never going to feel like I'm just another guy...I feel like I'm Chop, but the first round, all that stuff is out the window now. It's just I'm an NFL player now, and I just got to go out there and do my job."
The Wide-9 spot is designed to gift a freaky athlete more runway to attack an offensive tackle. For an athlete of Robinson's caliber, this is the ultimate scenario to help him succeed.
Robinson's straight-line speed is terrifying enough for opposing blockers to face. His speed-to-power pass rush will be a lethal weapon with a fraction more build-up before he initiates a collision, especially now that he's up from 258 to 265 pounds, per the Dolphins Wire piece.
Another positive, to tie back to Robinson's admitted shortcomings versus the run: The Wide 9 is ideal for Robinson to improve on his weaknesses. While he was excellent at rushing the passer in 2024, his run defense through two seasons has left something to be desired, with dual sub-60 PFF grades in that department.
By flexing out as a Wide 9 in certain situations, Robinson can have a split-second longer to read a play and use his quick-twitch athleticism to react before engaging at the point of attack. That should go a long way toward helping Robinson become a better all-around defender, not just a superior specimen who uses his raw ability to wreak havoc on the quarterback.
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