The Chicago Bears picked 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 determined to create opportunities for Jones in 2023. We’ll see how a new offensive coaching staff uses him.”
Jones, a former third-round pick, likely has a higher chance of staying. Robinson, 25, played in 11 games last season, logging 155 pass rush snaps. He finished with four hurries and a sack, according to Pro Football Focus. Technically, he had 0.5 sacks, but PFF records half-sacks as full sacks. That level of production won't secure his roster spot.
Dominique Robinson Getting Cut By Bears Wouldn’t Be a Surprise
After playing in all 17 games as a rookie in 2022, the team chose not to play Dom Rob for six consecutive 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 decrease to 35% last year.
Considering the decline in production and usage, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him released as part of the team’s final roster cuts, similar to how former Bears pass rusher Trevis Gipson was released last year.
Robinson played both quarterback and wide receiver earlier in his college career at Miami (OH) before switching to defensive line as a senior, so he is still learning the details 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 significantly. Chicago’s defense had only 10 sacks when Sweat played his first game with the team in Week 9. The unit ended with 30, tripling its sack total after Sweat’s arrival.
However, the Bears’ 30 sacks ranked 31st out of 32 teams, so adding another edge rusher would greatly benefit the defense.
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 release 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.
