Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips calls teammate 'a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate'
"I truly feel like Chop is going to be one of the best players in the league very soon," Phillips told reporters Friday. "I think he already is supremely talented, but the more comfortable he gets, the more confident he gets, and everything he's doing, I think he's a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate."
Robinson, 22, was forced into a significant role as a rookie with Bradley Chubb unavailable all year due to a knee injury suffered late in the 2023 season. The Dolphins became even more reliant on the first-year pass rusher when Phillips suffered a season-ending knee injury of his own in Week 4.
But after a slow start with zero sacks in September and October, Robinson emerged as one of the NFL's most productive pass rushers in the back half of the 2024 season. Between Weeks 10 and 18, Robinson was credited with 42 quarterback pressures by PFF, second most over that stretch behind only the Dallas Cowboys' four-time Pro Bowl rusher Micah Parsons.
With Chubb and Phillips both healthy and in training camp, the Dolphins are hopeful that finally having the trio at Anthony Weaver's disposal will result in chaos in opposing backfields.
"I think you'll see things open up a little more, so it will be exciting," Phillips told reporters in June. "[Robinson's] improvement from last year to this year is like so noticeable, it's insane. Especially if you really know the nitty gritty of it, so I'm really proud of Chop, really excited to see how he's going to keep progressing. Obviously, Bradley (Chubb) looks great, I feel really good. It's going to be fun.'
The Dolphins finished the 2024 season with 35 sacks, sixth fewest in the NFL.
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USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
Steelers countdown to kickoff — No. 33: a history of the number and who wore it best
The Steelers countdown to kickoff is here — and we're at 33 days until Pittsburgh faces off against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. In the spirit of the countdown, we're taking a look at the history of No. 33 and the players who wore it best. Current Steelers No. 33 wearer: OLB Jack Sawyer Projected as one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NFL Draft, rookie OLB Jack Sawyer is the current No. 33 wearer on the Steelers roster. Selected with the 123rd pick of the fourth round, Sawyer checks all the boxes coming out of college — a perfect complement to an already loaded OLB room and a surefire lock to make the 53-man roster. Best No. 33 in Steelers history: RB John "French" Fuqua One of the most memorable Steelers of the '70s — RB John "Frenchy" Fuqua is the greatest wearer of No. 33. The New York Giants selected Fuqua with the 273rd pick in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft — but he was traded to Pittsburgh after just one season. In his seven years as a Steeler, Fuqua produced 4,178 yards from scrimmage and 24 total touchdowns. He also played a massive role in Steelers and NFL history — as he was QB Terry Bradshaw's intended target on the pass that led to the Immaculate Reception from the legendary RB Franco Harris. Frenchy Fuqua would win two Super Bowls with Pittsburgh before retiring in 1977 — leaving behind a legacy deserving of the title: best Steeler to ever wear No. 33. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
‘Now or nothing' for Bengals' Myles Murphy, which will it be? Depends on who you ask
CINCINNATI — Defensive coordinator Al Golden stood in front of a collection of microphones at the conclusion of mandatory minicamp in mid-June, and his tone reminded of a year-end banquet. Nearly every player on the two-deep received a kind word or shout-out. Starters, backups, rookies, players returning from injury, you name it. Completing his first offseason since replacing Lou Anarumo, Golden spewed a fountain of hope and positivity. Advertisement About 13 minutes in, it seemed odd that Myles Murphy hadn't been mentioned. After all, leading the 2023 first-round pick to the next level after two uneven seasons should be starred and underlined atop the new coordinator's priority list. He's a 6-foot-5, 270-pound athletic specimen who, at 23, should be hitting an impactful level in his third year. A level capable of helping offset the attention bestowed upon sack king Trey Hendrickson, along with the hundreds of millions spent on the offensive side of the organization's balance sheet. Instead, the mention of his name shifted the banquet tone like a record scratch. 'Yeah, I think it's time, right?' Golden said. 'It's time.' Golden laid out details of the development plan, his view of the imposing physical skills and possibilities of a player the personnel department saw taking the baton from Hendrickson as a face of the young, defensive core. 'I'm really excited about him, but it is time,' Golden said. 'He knows that it's time to go. And we're really counting on him. We really are. We really are.' Should they be? Because there's a bigger question beyond playing time, technique and athletic profile the Bengals need answered about Murphy: Does he have that dog in him? You know the meme, the dog inside the ribs on a chest x-ray. A new-age symbol for the inner drive and competitive wiring necessary to battle in the NFL. Given what's transpired to this point and Golden's urging, it is fair to wonder if Murphy has it. And also, why the Bengals might have a secret weapon to combat the concern. 'It's my job to get whatever dog that he has in him out,' new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery said. 'That's my job. I have to find ways to get him there consistently. So that's what we do. But he's got it. He's got what he needs to play at this level, it's just my job to get it out of him.' Advertisement There's no running from the number. The oval pops off the season box score like a scarlet letter. Zero sacks. The analytics community will opine that sacks are overrated while pressure rates, win percentages and disruption offer more telling evaluations of edge rusher impact. Generally, they'd be right. But for a player whose worth in the NFL is defined by affecting the quarterback, sacks will always matter most. Not only do they kill drives at a higher rate than any non-turnover in football, they lead the way in awards voting and serve as Exhibit A in contract negotiations. Last year, one that was supposed to be a breakout second season for the 28th selection in the 2023 draft, Murphy managed zero sacks. Sure, he suffered a sprained MCL in an August joint practice against the Colts, which sidelined him for the first month of the season. And yes, he was buried behind Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard on the depth chart, two veterans with implicit trust from Anarumo. That's not what Murphy sees looking back on what went wrong. He says he could have handled the injury better, largely by paying more attention to his diet. He hired a nutritionist this offseason and dramatically altered his approach. Murphy admits that when he was on the field, the tape showed a player lacking belief. 'I looked hesitant,' Murphy said. 'Not too confident knowing the move is going to work. Even when I did have clean wins, it was hesitant.' Murphy hasn't had much opportunity to shed hesitancy. Anarumo and former defensive line coach Marion Hobby did limit his opportunities. Murphy has played in 30 of 34 possible games since being drafted, but logged just 633 defensive snaps. Fifty players were selected in the first two rounds of the 2023 draft and played at least 27 career games. Murphy ranks 48th in total snaps. The Bengals drafted him to rush the passer, and, specifically compared to similar players, he's not been given a full opportunity to do that. From 2021 to 2023, 29 edges were selected between picks 11 and 64. Murphy ranks 24th in pass rush snaps over their first two seasons. Meanwhile, he ranks in the middle of the pack in that group in pressure rate (9.6 percent). He's enjoyed flashes, specifically in the second half of his rookie year. Again, Murphy balked at the chance of utilizing an available excuse. 'You have to be ready for your opportunity,' he said. 'You are going to get your opportunity, whether you get 50 plays a game or you get 10 snaps. You got to bloom where you are planted.' Advertisement Make no mistake, though, in his highest-leverage opportunities, Murphy wilted. Consider these numbers in the situations most conducive to making an impact. Here's where Murphy ranks against the first- and second-round edges in his draft class when on the field for third/fourth-and-long (5-plus). That's 64 moments Murphy was drafted to win, and a bottom line there's no hiding from or rationalizing. Murphy relied on the freakish traits that made him a first-round pick his entire life and now fully understands that will never be good enough here. It may have taken longer than anyone would have liked, but Murphy sounds like a player learning a hard lesson through self-reflection. 'High school and college, I've been able to out-athlete people,' Murphy said. 'Now I've noticed you have to be technical in your game 24/7. I wasn't taking that as serious as I should.' Bengals' de facto GM Duke Tobin made a big bet on Murphy this offseason. Free agency came and went without adding an edge rusher, despite a desperation for somebody — anybody — not named Hendrickson to chase down the quarterback. They selected Shemar Stewart in the first round and Joseph Ossai returned. Tobin pointed out the lack of playing time when first asked to assess Murphy's season on the team website in February, stating he sees the traits: 'He'll get in the groove the more he plays.' Time ticks fast in today's NFL. The days when even top picks get years of opportunity are long gone. Tobin plotted his offseason strategy around the expectation that Murphy will be given more playing time this year and come of age. If he doesn't, a new strategy will come next year. 'That's a big reason why I changed a lot of things that I do now,' Murphy said. 'I am going into the season like it is now or nothing. Why not? Try everything. Don't leave anything to questions.' Advertisement Tobin saw a player physically capable of living up to his draft status, but needed to learn how to win at the top of his rush. In his mind, the rest was there; Murphy merely needs to figure out how to finish. That skill needed to be coached and given a real runway to succeed. Can that knack be developed? Or is it a fatal flaw? He turned this critical project over to Golden and Montgomery. Golden saw a need to simplify the process for Murphy so his natural ability could do the work. He saw a player in his own head. 'We tried to quiet his mind down,' Golden said. 'Myles is a great talent, and for us to get his talent in the game, we just got to get him to play quiet, play fast and play with great effort. That's really the process that we're in right now and there's nobody better in the business than Jerry to do that.' Montgomery has proof to back up Golden's bold claim. He was the defensive line coach for the Packers from 2018 to 2023 and spent last year with the Patriots. At both stops, he took a developmental top pick and helped them ascend to the next level. In Green Bay, the Packers drafted Rashan Gary 12th in 2019. The scouting report on NFL Network spotlighted a player whose production failed to match the traits at Michigan. Yet, in Year 3, the traits won. Taking the defensive line job under head coach Jerod Mayo last year in New England, Montgomery pulled off a similar trick with edge Keion White. The 49th pick in the 2023 draft struggled in limited playing time as a rookie, but his first year with Montgomery saw a spike. Bengals coach Zac Taylor had Montgomery on his radar because he noticed the energy of the Green Bay defensive line over the years and again last year in New England. When watching Montgomery militaristically grind through drills, lessons and speak directly about the task at hand, it's easy to see how he helped developmental players find their next level. Advertisement 'I am very demanding,' Montgomery said. 'I hold the guys to a standard. If it is not right, they hear about it. That's the reality I live every single day. That is my job to be honest with them and hold them accountable.' Murphy and the coach he calls 'J-Mo' have a one-on-one talk every single day. No flaw goes unaccounted for, no shortcut accepted. 'He doesn't let anything slide,' Murphy said. 'If he does let something slide on the field, when we get to the film room — 'your toe is not turned toward the quarterback.' It's the little stuff like that that's effective. I just like his coaching dynamic as a whole.' Then there's the concept of effort and drive, yes, Montgomery dragging out the dog in Murphy. Golden called it playing 'with great effort,' or to put it bluntly, no more taking plays off, no more quitting on rushes, no more skating by on talent. 'One play you see a great flash and the other play it's like maybe going through the motions,' Montgomery said. 'Every day I say, if you can put a whole game together of this and not half a game of that, now we are totally taking the next step. That is my goal for you. I am going to be on you. I am not going to let anything slide. We are going to run to the ball. We are going to be physical at the point of attack. We are going to be an active rusher, affecting the quarterback. We are not going to shut it down and stop. It's a process. And it's early.' As Golden pointed out, it may be early, but it's also time. The progress has gradually shown through 10 practices. Golden pointed out how 'rugged' Murphy was playing when lined up in the 'C' gap outside the tackle. He's flipped across sides of the formation for a defense emphasizing positional versatility. Murphy says he feels the quiet taking over his game. He points out that he would watch a 30-minute highlight tape of Hendrickson's best plays and see two or three moves helping him dominate. The adjustment involves perfecting what he does best, not recreating his style. Advertisement 'When it is third-and-long, I'm not thinking, 'Which one of these eight moves am I going to do?'' Murphy said. 'How does this tackle set? OK, he sets deep. Then one of two moves. Boom. Quiet my mind now. I am just looking at the ball, getting off the ball. That's it.' Every June in Las Vegas, a collection of the NFL's best pass rushers, led by Cam Jordan, Maxx Crosby and Von Miller, hold the Sack Summit. It's in the vein of Tight End U, which gained popularity in recent years. The theme is teaching intricacies of the position to a gathering of young edge rushers and collegiate players. The messaging from the big three leading the weekend was the combination of technique and mentality for any developing player. 'It's just about consistency and showing up every day with the mindset to outdo everybody around you,' Crosby said. 'That's how you create a winning culture in a competitive environment. It's not selfish to go above and beyond to be the best version of yourself. And when you have a whole group of guys doing that, it's just a competition every day of who's going to put in the most work? Who's going to push themselves to that limit? That's what I try to do.' Crosby might be the definition of a player where mentality outweighs any physical shortcomings. The former fourth-rounder out of Eastern Michigan rarely comes off the field. He's a four-time Pro Bowler who never missed a game until this season, grinding out 59.5 sacks and $35.5 million per year. Can Murphy find those elements within himself? Can any player develop a new mindset or is that merely the way you are? Ossai did. He points out that he battled confidence issues during his career, collecting 4.5 sacks in his first 40 games. Last year, he collected five in his final seven games and mentality changed. Advertisement 'If you have struggles early on, it can be (hard),' Ossai said. 'It's a constant grind of getting over that hump. Once you see one fall in, you gain that confidence a lot. It can happen. I can get to that quarterback. You got to keep going. Persistence.' Murphy flashes a soft smile and kind demeanor. He enjoys working for his foundation, helping underprivileged kids in Cincinnati and his hometown of Atlanta. He shows genuine respect for those around him. He comes across as a good guy. Nice win by Myles Murphy here. He's had a few nice reps against rookie Jalen Rivers. — James Rapien (@JamesRapien) August 2, 2025 Sometimes, you need to be a little unhinged to be a great edge rusher. You need to tap into your version of the 'Blackout Trey' nickname bestowed upon Hendrickson to take the next step. Murphy needs to flip the switch. 'Say f— it,' Murphy said. 'Get to the quarterback.' He needs the technique. He needs the push from a demanding coach. He needs the opportunity. More than anything, however, he needs confidence to know he can do it. He needs confidence to wipe away the stain of zero sacks. Montgomery works every day to help him build it. He's trying to pull the dog out and find the mentality necessary to reach what the Bengals defense desperately needs. 'A coach can only bring so much of that,' Murphy said. 'It's up to the player.' Murphy feels hope in this fresh start. He smiles with excitement while talking about the energy he feels when walking into the building every day. He says he's in a great space mentally and physically. All that only goes so far. It's up to him. The test of his career begins in 34 days. The Bengals are counting on Murphy to go off. Or else, they'll move on. It's time, right? The Athletic's Tashan Reed contributed.
New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
Bills training camp rookie report: T.J. Sanders showing flashes of being an impact player
With every year at training camp, one of the most intriguing things to track is how the first-year players are doing. Not only because they are new, but often, because the investment teams make in them, it can also yield what the franchise's initial vision is for that player. As 10 practices have gone by at Bills training camp, we've gotten a good look at their nine-player draft class from 2025. Advertisement How have they looked from a performance perspective? How have the Bills used them during practices? What roles could these players have in their first season with the team? After taking a hard look at the entire class over the last two weeks, here's a deep dive into each rookie's situation. Although the Bills may have hoped for their top pick in 2025 to push for a starting job as a rookie, they now may have to follow the Cole Bishop game plan from one season ago. Hairston, like Bishop did last year as a rookie, is likely to miss the majority of the team's practices leading up to the start of the regular season due to an LCL sprain. Bishop's injury gave Damar Hamlin the full workload as a starter during camp in 2024, and the team, not wanting to interrupt the synergy of their excellent regular season, committed to Hamlin as a starter as long as he was healthy. Similar to Bishop with Hamlin, Hairston's main competition for the starting job is Tre'Davious White, who boasts way more starting experience in the Bills' scheme than Hamlin had last year. If the Bills are winning and playing pretty well on defense, the odds they'll want to upset that by replacing one of the most well-respected players in their locker room with a first-year player are pretty low. Now, should White struggle significantly, that's where things may start to open up for Hairston. But as the Bills have alluded to over the last week since the injury, this is a critical time in development and learning the defensive scheme for first-year players, which puts Hairston behind the learning curve until he's able to get back on the field in a meaningful way. Even before Hairston's injury, though, White was having the better camp of the two. While you could see the long-term vision of how Hairston's speed and acceleration could give the Bills a dimension to their secondary that they haven't had before under McDermott, it was a bit rough around the edges from a technical standpoint. The key for Hairston, whenever he returns, is to get to a point where he reacts instinctively rather than getting caught up thinking too much before and during a rep. A quarter of a second lost after a snap could be all the difference between breaking up a pass and losing a one-on-one opportunity. There were positive signs for Hairston, though; it's just a difficult position for a rookie, and especially difficult for a first-year player missing that much time on the field. If White stays healthy and continues playing at his current level, it wouldn't be a surprise for the veteran to go coast-to-coast as the starter like Hamlin did at safety last season. With the injury to Hairston, Sanders has the best path of all the rookies to have the highest impact in 2025. From the flashy reps we've seen in training camp, it teases a potentially impactful interior rusher who is also underrated as a run defender. The trouble for Sanders is the same thing you run into with most rookies — waiting for the consistency to match the flashes. However, as the practices have been getting more physical, Sanders has begun to make a louder impact. Sanders has practiced almost exclusively at three-technique since camp began, mostly working with the second-team defense. Advertisement In terms of role, it would be somewhat of a surprise for Sanders not to be an every-week contributor for the Bills as a rookie. At minimum, he has shown enough ability this summer to take an ample amount of rotational snaps at three-technique when Ed Oliver needs a breather, and to help Oliver stay fresher throughout the entire game. As the Bills have lacked some depth at Oliver's position over the last two years, we've seen his time on the field rise, going from a 57 and 61 percent snap player in 2021 and 2022 to a 72 and 68 percent snap player in 2023 and 2024. Keeping Oliver fresher while having a potential suitable rotational option in Sanders is ideal. If Sanders begins to show flashes more consistently in the regular season, there is a clear pathway for the rookie being able to carve out a critical role on obvious passing downs. The Bills often vary their personnel in those situations, and could substitute Sanders in to rush next to Oliver on those money downs. So far, so good for Sanders. While he hasn't been lights out, he's shown what he's needed to at this point. You cannot miss Jackson on the field. Between his height and his wingspan, Jackson is built like a basketball player, though he's got some strength to his game, too. Jackson has mostly worked between the second and third-team defenses, and has shown the occasional rep to walk his blocker into the backfield. There is some fine-tuning to be done here, though. At the same time, there isn't any debate that Jackson will eventually become a key piece of the Bills' defensive line rotation in 2026 — perhaps as early as later this season — though second-year player Javon Solomon has had a stronger camp as a pass rusher. At least in the early stages, the Bills may be more inclined to give the obvious passing-down reps to Solomon, as he is likely the more impactful player at this point. But just from a reps perspective, Jackson has a decent chance to be game day active to start the regular season. With Michael Hoecht suspended for the first six games, and with the Bills likely wanting to keep Joey Bosa's rep counts on the lower side, there is a lane for Jackson to impress the coaching staff enough in the first six games to have a continued rotational role once Hoecht returns. If it goes the opposite way, it could become a clean one-for-one swap with Jackson becoming a healthy scratch on game days once Hoecht is back on the 53-man roster. But there is a good skill set here with Jackson that the Bills seem excited about, even if it doesn't result in a big impact this season. To begin the first training camp of his career, the Bills have deployed Walker at one-technique almost exclusively, hoping his 6-foot-7, 331-pound frame could take well to the role. Walker definitely has flashes where he can get into the backfield, though there is some work to be done here. There seems to be a bit of an overreliance on winning with his upper body, which can work on some reps against some offensive linemen, but with the size and strength NFL blockers usually have, it can limit Walker's overall effectiveness, as we've also seen during camp. Advertisement Having the ability to hold his ground will be critical to his future, especially in the role they've had him in as camp has begun. His first year might be about getting stronger across the board and having his game match his size. That might be the path to him eventually becoming a starter at one-technique if he takes to it well enough, though Walker could be better suited to the three-technique role. Time will tell on that answer. As of right now, it would not be a surprise if Walker were a healthy scratch to begin the year with so many rostered defensive linemen in Buffalo. The Bills have said publicly that they are cross-training Hancock between the nickel and safety positions, but there does seem to be somewhat of a lean as camp at St. John Fisher University is winding down. Hancock, perhaps due to some injuries at the safety position, has been primarily working at safety for the last several practices. Hancock was even working in with the first-team defense while starters Bishop and Taylor Rapp have had to miss some time with injuries. Just based on what we've seen in practice, safety does appear to be his more natural position, though being able to do a little of everything for a fifth-round pick is important. He has outperformed veteran safety Darrick Forrest to this point, and considering he can work at nickel in a pinch, it gives Hancock a great path to the 53-man roster as the team's fourth safety should he continue practicing there most often. His special teams ability could even yield Hancock a jersey on game days to start the season. What you see is what you get from the Bills' newest tight end. Hawes is a tough, blocking specialist who is functional in the pass game, though you likely won't expect him to do much after the catch with a lower average depth of target. But down the line, he can become an asset as a run blocker, and can even work in on some 12 and 13 personnel reps as a rookie. A lot of the time with later picks like this, teams just want to be able to check the box to confirm their prior evaluations, and Hawes has certainly provided that. There is potential for Hawes to have a Week 1 role on special teams, which could yield being active and maybe even filtering in for an offensive snap here or there depending on usage. Hawes is firmly on the team in 2025. Strong has made some nice pass breakups at camp, but he still has a way to go before the Bills even consider making him game day active during his rookie season. Strong's height and length definitely stand out in their zone, though his technique in the Bills' zone system has been lacking, and it's led to some fairly easy losses in coverage throughout camp. However, there is definitely a down-the-line usable player in there with Strong, most likely as a depth and special teams piece that might top out as their top reserve on the boundary. When Christian Benford was a rookie, he was well ahead at this point of his rookie year than where Strong is now, making Benford the exception rather than the rule. But there is enough to like to make a spot on the 53-man roster for Strong at this point. Heading into training camp, there was a potential opportunity for Lundt to try and steal a roster spot from someone like Ryan Van Demark, whose progress has stagnated into somewhat of a left tackle-only option on their depth chart. To Van Demark's credit, he has split reps at right tackle with the first unit due to Spencer Brown's back injury, which may have breathed new life into Van Demark's chances to stick again this year. Lundt seems to be at his best at right tackle, lining up with only the second and third units, and he hasn't quite shown the versatility that maybe they'd need to see to justify keeping him on the 53-man roster. Another piece to consider is that second-year guard Mike Edwards has done a nice job in camp, and could push for a 53-man roster spot. Either way, Lundt will be firmly on the bubble around final cuts. Prather, the team's only swing at wide receiver during the 2025 NFL Draft, has mostly had a forgettable training camp because he's been out since suffering a hamstring injury on July 27. This is both a fortunate and unfortunate potential situation for the Bills. While they aren't able to see what they have in Prather throughout much of training camp, it also presents a potential opportunity should the injury persist to final cuts on Aug. 26. If Prather remains injured, the Bills could stash him on Injured Reserve at final cuts and keep him on his four-year rookie deal, rather than putting him on waivers and having to sign him back to a practice squad deal. When he was healthy, Prather mostly lined up at X receiver. (Top photo of A.J. Epenesa and T.J. Sanders: Shawn Dowd / USA Today)
