After two seasons with the Chicago Bears, one NFL analyst believed the team could cut former fifth-round pick Dominique Robinson. Selected with the 174th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Miami product outplayed his draft capital to become a regular contributor as a rookie. Appearing in 17 games while making seven starts, Robinson finished his inaugural campaign with 1.5 sacks, 30 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and two quarterback hits.
Despite showing moments of promise, the Bears reduced Robinson’s role in 2023. Appearing in 11 games without making a start, the former fifth-round finished the season with 0.5 sacks, 12 tackles, one tackle-for-loss, one quarterback hit, and an abysmal 35.3 PFF grade. Seeing as Chicago added several talented defensive linemen over the past few months, Bleacher Report‘s David Kenyon believes the Bears could cut Dominique Robinson.
Chicago Bears Could Cut Dominique Robinson
Nobody should be too surprised with this analysis, as Dominique Robinson is a logical cut candidate. He didn’t have enough snaps to qualify among PFF’s edge defenders, but if he did, his grade would’ve been the worst in the league. While he was better as a rookie, he still wasn’t great. Most of his playing time came not because he was great, but because Chicago had minimal talent on the roster.
Since selecting Robinson, Chicago has added big-name pass rushers in Montez Sweat and traded up to select Austin Booker in the NFL Draft. While this isn’t the 1985 Bears by any stretch of the imagination, there is enough talent here that Chicago could easily cut Dominique Robinson. This might be the end of his time in the Windy City, but perhaps he could land with one of these other organizations.
Potential Landing Spots
Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins has the talent to guide a strong roster to a deep playoff run. While the offense has the pieces to hold up their end of the bargain, the defense needs some work. Dominique Robinson isn’t going to fix this unit if the Bears cut him, but adding him to the mix can’t hurt anything. Atlanta added several promising youngsters in the 2024 NFL Draft, but Robinson can compete for a depth spot on the roster or spend the year as an emergency option on the practice squad.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens lost several key free agents over the offseason, with edge defender Jadeveon Clowney arguably the biggest loss of the bunch. Former first-round pick Odafe Oweh is ready to step into that starting role, but someone must shore up the depth if David Ojabo can’t stay healthy and third-round pick Adisa Isaac isn’t ready to do. The Ravens could kick the tires on Dominque Robinson, as this well-respected coaching staff could find some untapped potential in the cut candidate.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers entered the offseason needing to rebuild their entire roster. With no way to realistically address every need, the team prioritized adding youth to the offense while shoring up the pass rush with aging veterans. This works in the short term, but it creates a long-term need at the position. Now entering his third season, Dominique Robinson could fight for a depth spot if the Bears cut him. While he probably won’t turn into anything, it can’t hurt to give the Miami product a shot.
Kansas City Cheifs
The Chiefs front seven is a top-heavy group that could use more depth. After Felix Anudike-Uzomah failed to show anything as a rookie, Kansas City should consider adding some veteran experience to provide competition. Dominique Robinson is not good enough to keep a good player off the field, but the cut candidate could see some emergency work if Anudike-Uzomah fails to impress in Year 2.
New Orleans Saints
Few teams carry greater risk at the edge defender position than the New Orleans Saints. Chase Young and Cameron Jordan have the potential to be a game-wrecking duo, but both players come with substantial risk. If one or both players don’t make the cut in 2024, New Orleans might have to turn to a journeyman veteran like Dominique Robinson. Dennis Allen will probably be out of a job if the Saints can’t make the playoffs, so he’ll take as many shots as he can to find someone capable of getting after the quarterback.
Main Photo: Brian Fluharty – USA Today Sports
