The Chicago Bears selected defensive end Dominique Robinson in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, and after two seasons with the team, his future is uncertain.
Bears insider Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune was asked which players might be on the roster bubble for the team, and he named one player on both sides of the ball in danger of being cut.
“Defensive end Dominique Robinson would be one to keep an eye on and potentially wide receiver Velus Jones,” Biggs wrote, adding: “The team seemed adamant about creating opportunities for Jones in 2023. We’ll see how a new offensive coaching staff utilizes him.”
Jones, a former third-round pick, likely has a higher chance of sticking around. Robinson, 25, played in 11 games last season, logging 155 pass rush snaps. He finished with four hurries and a sack, per Pro Football Focus. Technically, he had 0.5 sacks, but PFF logs half-sacks as full sacks. That kind of production isn’t going to keep his roster spot secure.
Dominique Robinson Getting Cut By Bears Wouldn’t Be a Surprise
After playing in all 17 games as a rookie in 2022, the team elected to keep Dom Rob out for six straight games last year, making him a healthy scratch. The 6-foot-5, 253-pound Robinson played 51% of Chicago’s defensive snaps as a rookie, and saw that number dwindle to 35% last year.
Considering the dip in production and usage, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him go as part of the team’s final roster cuts, similar to the way former Bears pass rusher Trevis Gipson was let go last year.
Robinson played both quarterback and wide receiver earlier in his collegiate career at Miami (OH) before switching over to defensive line as a senior, so he is still learning the intricacies of being a pass rusher in the NFL. We’ll see if his journey will continue in the Windy City.
Bears Will Likely Add Another Edge Rusher in Draft or Via Free Agency
The addition of pass rusher Montez Sweat mid-season last year elevated the Bears defense in a big way. Chicago’s defense had just 10 sacks when Sweat played his first game with the team Week 9. The unit finished with 30, tripling its sack total after Sweat’s arrival.
Still, the Bears’ 30 sacks ranked 31st out of 32 teams, so adding another edge rusher would help the defense immensely.
Dom Rob and DeMarcus Walker are the team’s primary edge rushers. Veteran Andrew Billings and second year players Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens fill the IOL slots. If the Bears do cut Robinson, they’ll have to add multiple pass rushers to fill their current voids on the D-line.
“We have several priorities for sure. Certainly pass rusher is one of them,” Bears head coach Matt Ebeflus said about the team’s needs in March. “We got to make sure that we have somebody opposite of Sweat. We can never have enough of those guys because they affect the game the most.”
With the draft just four days away, the defensive line is definitely one area to monitor.
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