There was a lot of excitement around Dominique Robinson at one point in time. The 5th round pick out of Miami of Ohio had such a rare mix of size, length, and athleticism. The fact he’d only played defensive end for a couple of seasons after switching from wide receiver was remarkable. It told the Chicago Bears that he had the potential to become a viable pass rusher with enough time and work. Then he had 1.5 sacks in his debut against the San Francisco 49ers. Everybody thought it was the start of something incredible.
As always, the NFL proves that life comes at you fast. Robinson has produced only one half-sack across all of his appearances since that game. His ineffectiveness has confounded fans and experts. Whatever the reason is, the third-year player came into training camp with zero illusions. He admitted to the media this week that this is probably his last stand. If he can’t deliver a strong camp and preseason, there is a realistic possibility he will fail to crack the roster and be out of a job.
Dominique Robinson arrived with a purpose.
According to reports, he added 15 lbs of muscle mass in the off-season, bumping his weight up to 273. He’s in the best shape of his career. He has looked good in camp and delivered a hopeful showing in Buffalo where he had a pressure and a tackle for a loss against the Bills. He also benefits from the absence of veteran Jacob Maritn, who has been nursing an injury for the past week. Robinson can’t afford to relax, though. He still hasn’t had a signature performance to guarantee his safety on the roster.
There is a real possibility the Bears may look to add another pass rusher. They have the money to do so, especially after the D.J. Moore extension freed up some cap space. Thus far, GM Ryan Poles has remained patient, giving younger guys a chance to earn their way. Dominique Robinson should be grateful. Other teams probably would’ve moved on by now. There are two preseason games left. If he can deliver back-to-back strong performances, he will live to play another day.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Otherwise, the Bears will chalk him up as a failed experiment.
