The Chicago Bears saw significant contributions from rookies on offense, defense and special teams during the 2022 season, whether it was from draft picks or undrafted free agents.
Fifth-round defensive end Dominique Robinson was always considered a project, as he’d spent just two years at the position after converting from wide receiver in college. While he didn’t have a substantial impact in this rookie year, there’s reasons to be optimistic for his continued development.
Let’s take a look back at Robinson’s rookie season and see what we can expect for the future.
2022 stats
- 30 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 QB hits, 2 pass breakups
2022 season review
Robinson’s rookie season couldn’t have gotten off to a better start with a dominating performance against the 49ers in Week 1, where he logged a career-high 1.5 sacks and made it a rough day at the office for Mike McGlinchey. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there (with the exception of an impressive blocked field goal on special teams against the Patriots in Week 7). Robinson failed to record a sack in the final 16 games, and he lacked a signifcant impact on the defensive line. To be fair, the defensive line as a whole struggled, especially when it came to getting after the quarterback. Robinson struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL and shedding blocks against some top offensive tackles.
Robinson struggled both in pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run, as he was part of a defensive line that allowed the second-most rushing yards in the league. Then again, it’s not a huge surprise. After all, Robinson was always going to be a project as a fifth-round pick and someone who just started playing defensive end two years ago. There are reasons to be encouraged, but he’s also got plenty of work to do this offseason.
Best Game: vs. 49ers (Week 1)
Robinson shined during the preseason, which made way for an impressive regular-season debut against one of the NFC’s best teams, the 49ers. Robinson was a force in his NFL debut, recording a team-high 1.5 sacks, including 1 for a loss, 7 tackles (second most), 2 QB hits and a 89.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, which was the eighth best among all edge rushers.
But more than those 1.5 sacks was when they happened. Robinson got to 49ers quarterback Trey Lance twice on third down to stall scoring drives. The first happened early in the game with San Francisco facing third-and-7 from the Bears’ 29-yard line. Robinson’s sack of Lance knocked the 49ers out of field goal range in monsoon-like conditions. Later, with San Francisco facing third-and-goal from the Bears’ 4-yard line, Robinson and Roquan Smith both got to Lance to force a 49ers field goal. That performance showed what Robinson is capable of — but he’s got a ways to go to become more consistent.
2023 season outlook
This is shaping up to be important offseason for Robinson, who still has plenty of room for improvement to prove he can be a contributor for this defensive line. The Bears are looking to overhaul their defensive line this offseason, which includes upgrading at edge rusher — be it in free agency, the NFL draft or both. Robinson notched six starts in his rookie year, but he has a long way to go to earn a starting job in 2023. Still, with Robinson being a developmental guy, he should still get his share of looks as Matt Eberflus employs a rotation along the defensive line.
2022 rookie reviews
We’re unveiling our rookie season reviews over the next week. Here’s a look at the rundown from the 2022 rookie class:
| S Jaquan Brisker | OT Braxton Jones | LB Jack Sanborn |
| CB Kyler Gordon | WR Velus Jones Jr. | P Trenton Gill |
| DE Dominique Robinson | RB Trestan Ebner (2/16) | S Elijah Hicks (2/17) |
