Dolphins Position Outlook: Edge Defenders

Supporting cast needs to step up while Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips work their way back to form

Edge rusher Chop Robinson, the Miami Dolphins' first-round draft pick, meets with reporters on May 10, 2024. / HAL HABIB / The Palm Beach Post / USA

After making the playoffs for a second straight season under coach Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins are still looking for their first playoff win since 2000. The quest for that victory starts with training camp.

The Dolphins had a surprisingly eventful offseason for a team that started with so little cap space. The team lost homegrown talents like Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt but added exciting veterans like Odell Beckham Jr., Kendall Fuller, Calais Campbell and Jordyn Brooks.

This series will break down each position on the Dolphins’ roster, providing fans with an in-depth look at each player’s outlook for the coming 2024 season.

This article will cover the edge rushers.

DOLPHINS EDGE RUSHER OUTLOOKS

Bradley Chubb

2023 Stats: 45 total tackles, 11 sacks, 70 quarterback pressures

2024 Outlook: Chubb is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17. Given the usual recovery time for that injury, there’s a good chance Chubb will miss the start of the regular season.

When on the field, Chubb is a premier pass rusher and a consistent force in all facets. The Dolphins will miss his production a lot at the beginning of the season.

Jaelan Phillips

2023 Stats: 28 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, 27 quarterback pressures

2024 Outlook: Like Chubb, Phillips is also recovering from a major injury. He tore his Achilles on a non-contact play against the Jets in Week 12. Phillips has made a lot of progress this offseason and could be ready by the start of the season.

Regardless of if he plays Week 1, he should be back sooner than Chubb. That’s great news for the Dolphins because Phillips was on the verge of a breakout season before his injury. If he stays healthy, he’ll be the team’s primary pass rusher for years.

Shaquil Barrett

2023 Stats (Buccaneers): 33 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, 49 quarterback pressures

2024 Outlook: Barrett comes over from the Buccaneers after he played fairly well in a rotational role last season. With the Dolphins, Barrett might have to play more snaps than he should as Phillips and Chubb recover.

Barrett can settle into a rotational role when they return and be a high-end backup. Barrett was an excellent signing, given what the Dolphins need from their pass-rush group this season.

Chop Robinson

2023 Stats (college): 15 total tackles, 4 sacks, 26 quarterback pressures

2024 Outlook: The Dolphins selected Robinson with the 21st pick in the 2024 NFL draft hoping he’ll develop into a premier pass rusher. His athleticism and flashes jump off the screen, but he doesn’t project as a high-volume rookie contributor.

In an ideal world, Robinson would only play in obvious pass-rush situations while he built up his strength and improved his technique against the run. However, the Dolphins’ injuries could push him into the lineup earlier than that.

Either way, Robinson likely will be a part of the Dolphins rotation this season.

Mohamed Kamara

2023 Stats (college): 56 total tackles, 13 sacks, 64 quarterback pressures

2024 Outlook: Kamara was selected by the Dolphins in the fifth round this offseason after his incredibly productive career at Colorado State.

Kamara is undersized, but his pass-rush technique and motor are NFL caliber. He shouldn’t be counted on to play the majority of the team’s snaps this season, but he can contribute on third downs and in a rotational role.

Cameron Goode

2023 Stats: 6 total tackles, 4 quarterback pressures

2024 Outlook: Goode got some reps on defense as the team battled injuries toward the end of last season, but he himself went down with a severe knee injury in the finale against Buffalo.

Assuming Goode can make it back to full strength in a timely fashion, he should be a key contributor on punt and kick returns. Outside of that, he’ll be a depth piece on the edge.

Quinton Bell

2023 Stats: No recorded stats

2024 Outlook: Bell played in just one game for the Dolphins last season. He’ll have to fight his way up the depth chart and provide some value on special teams to get more playing time or even make the roster in 2024.

Zeke Vandenburgh

2023 Stats: Did not play

2024 Outlook: Vanderburgh did not play last season, spending the whole year on IR. Like Bell, he’ll have to jump over better players and earn playing time on special teams.

Grayson Murphy

2023 stats (college): 32 total tackles, 5 sacks, 52 quarterback pressures

2024 Outlook: Murphy signed as a UDFA this offseason after a modest career at UCLA. Given Miami’s lack of depth, Murphy could make the roster with a strong performance in the preseason.

He’s in a similar mold to Robinson and Kamara — an undersized but talented pass rusher. Murphy should be a practice squad candidate even if he doesn’t make the roster.

DOLPHINS EDGE DEFENDERS SUPERLATIVES

Best Run Defender: Bradley Chubb

Best Pass Rusher: Jaelan Phillips

Most Strength: Bradley Chubb

Most Natural Talent: Jaelan Phillips

Most Upside: Chop Robinson

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR DOLPHINS EDGE DEFENDERS

Can Miami Survive Early Season Injuries?

One of the Dolphins’ most significant challenges this season will be getting production from this group without Chubb and possibly Phillips for an extended period of time.

Chubb’s injury happened late in the season, so he likely will miss some time. While there’s optimism surrounding Phillips’ Week 1 return, it’s important to note that an Achilles injury might prevent Phillips from immediately being the player he was last season. 

Playing edge rusher is all about the first-step explosiveness, and the mechanics of that are heavily centered around the Achilles. Phillips could return in Week 1 but expecting him to be 100% isn’t wise.

With Phillips working his way back and Chubb likely missing time, Miami’s edge rusher rotation might be anchored by Barrett, Robinson and Kamara.

Barrett is a productive, but aging player.  Robinson and Kamara have good traits to work with, but relying on them for high-volume roles and production early in the season might be risky. Plus, the Dolphins’ interior defensive line has its own question marks trying to replace Christian Wilkins’ pass rush.

There’s a realistic chance Miami starts the season without its three best pass rushers from last season — two play on the edge and the other is on another team.

Getting after the quarterback is an edge rusher’s most crucial job, and that’s where Barrett, Robinson and Kamara excel. Perhaps new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver can get creative with alignments and blitzes to generate pressure without Chubb and/or Phillips.

However, those players still need to defend the run — something they’re much less good at. Robinson’s run defense is a total work in progress, and Kamara fell in the draft because of his size and strength profile.

Barrett is a serviceable run defender, but that’s not his calling card, and he had better run defenders playing around him last season.

Regardless of when Phillips returns, one of Barrett, Robinson, and Kamara will have to exceed expectations for the Dolphins’ defense to get off to a good start.

The bright side to this is that Miami can get all of this out of the way early in the season. In a perfect world, the Dolphins’ pass-rush group is at its strongest down the stretch and isn’t totally reliant on just two players, unlike last season.