‘I’m just working.’ Fins edge rusher Chop Robinson shines in matchup against Bucs’ All-Pro tackle

Chop Robinson had arguably his best play of training camp on Wednesday.

During the joint practice against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Robinson annihilated Tristan Wirfs during one play of 1-on-1 work, briefly lifting the All-Pro tackle off the ground to bypass him for what would have likely been a sack in a game. It was a welcome sign that the 2024’s first-round pick’s pass-rushing ability, one of his more favorable attributes, could actually translate against some of the NFL’s top offensive linemen.

“I really just wanted to peek into other things like using power and stuff like that to set up my fastball,” Robinson said after Wednesday’s practice. “Sitting down with Coach [Ryan] Crow, we were talking about that before we came out here. I came out here and started working different things, and I was able to get underneath his pads.”

The moment, however, was short-lived. Out of the four reps between the Bucs’ latest $100 million man and the Dolphins rookie, Wirfs won two while a third ended in a stalemate. Wirfs, for whatever reason, had specifically singled Robinson out.

“He’s a helluva player,” Robinson said of Wirfs who allegedly told the rookie that he “sees something great” in the edge rusher. “He was talking to me after about some things I did good, some things on how I hit him. It was just a back-and-forth competition, and I’m blessed to learn from him.”

At just 21, Robinson still has a ways to grow as a player. He has a tendency to overpursue on run plays. The Buccaneers took full advantage of this, running at him multiple times during 11-on-11s. Still, Robinson was undeterred, seemingly excited just for the opportunity to grow.

“The biggest thing is going against guys you’ve been watching since a kid,” Robinson said. When the Penn State product lined up against Wirfs for the first time, he admitted that it was “crazy that I get to go up against him” but also that he hadn’t fully processed the moment. “Maybe once I get a little break or something it will probably hit but right now, I’m just working.”

That work has already begun to pay off. In his first taste of preseason action against the Washington Commanders, Robinson finished with two tackles, though he was still had a bit of trouble defending the run. One play in particular, however, showed just how good Robinson could be; after perfectly reading a run play, the rookie used his speed to rush past the tackle and stuff running back Michael Wiley in the backfield.

“It felt good, my first TFL [tackle for loss] in the NFL,” Robinson said after Saturday’s game, later adding “You’re playing in the NFL. Preseason, regular season, no matter what it is. It’s just a dream come true just going out there and doing what you’ve wanted to do since you were 5 years old and just play ball. At the end of the day, it’s just football, but it’s different when you make it to level you’ve been dreaming about.”

After an unknown injury kept Robinson out of the Dolphins’ first preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, there was a bit of excitement to play the Commanders, according to defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, though the rookie looked poised.

“I’ve never seen two people so disappointed that they weren’t able to take the field,” Weaver said, referring to Robinson and fellow rookie edge rusher Mohamed Kamara. “They were genuinely distraught. Now when they got under the lights, nothing changed for them. They just went out and continued to do what they’ve done at practice, which is try to apply the coaching and let your technique and fundamentals allow you to make plays.”

Those outward expressions of emotion have certainly been linebacker Jaelan Phillips’ point of emphasis for Robinson.

“He’s super athletic, super explosive,” Phillips said Aug. 12. “His get-off, his aggression, his leverage, everything is better than I was when I was a rookie, for sure. His mentality too, like he doesn’t even celebrate. I’m trying to get him to be a little more emotive just because you could tell how that’s not enough for him, when he makes a big play, makes a TFL or whatever, that’s kind of the standard, which is an amazing thing.”

As Robinson’s first training camp comes to a close, it’s clear that he could one day could be a NFL starter. He will just need to work – something that the rookie is not afraid to do.

“I feel like I’ve progressed a lot, especially coming from college to the first day of camp to here,” Robinson said. His biggest area of improvement: hand placement. “Keeping my hands inside the offensive lineman or tight end. I’m able to work on that every single day and it has just become second nature.”