Why Latest Injury News Deals Another Blow to Dolphins’ Upset Hopes vs. Bills

The Miami Dolphins have lost seven straight games against the Buffalo Bills, and one key injury update will likely make things much harder for the team in the matchup on Sunday.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel does not sound overly optimistic about edge rusher Chop Robinson clearing concussion protocol in time to play against Buffalo. Robinson left the team’s loss to Baltimore and didn’t return.

"I'm worried about him getting back to full steam ahead,” McDaniel said about Robinson on Wednesday. “Timelines? Your guess is as good as mine."

With Robinson still working through concussion protocol and the team trading Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles Monday, the edge rusher group is suddenly looking incredibly thin against reigning MVP Josh Allen.

Who Miami Has Left at Edge Rusher

Without Chubb and Phillips, the Dolphins’ edge rushers consist of Bradley Chubb, Matthew Judon, Cameron Goode and the recently signed Andre Carter II on the 53-man roster. Carter was poached from the Detroit Lions' practice squad Wednesday.

The team also could elevate Quinton Bell and Derrick McLendon from the practice squad.

“There are a lot of guys who have the potential to contribute,” McDaniel said. “We have depth at the position, as far as guys executing what need done. We have some variance and some different body types, so we have to see how they attack the opportunity.”

Chubb has been a starter all season, and despite some inconsistent play against both the run and pass, he has four sacks this season. He’ll be a big part of the team’s game plan for sure.

McDaniel specifically mentioned Judon as someone who could step up. That makes sense for several reasons, but it’s hard to feel overly confident in Judon’s play.

He has just five pressures in 66 pass-rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s a 7.6% pressure rate, which is incredibly low, and Judon’s snap numbers have hovered around 18 to 20 since Week 1.

Goode has played just 94 defensive snaps across three seasons, including just six in 2025. Bell played a lot of snaps last season but has also played just six this year. Lastly, McLendon is a rookie who has never taken a defensive snap in the regular season, and Carter hasn't played since 2024.

There is no real combination of these players that would result in much confidence, especially against a quarterback like Allen.

The immediate concern is that the Dolphins will not pressure Allen, but pressure can be generated through blitzes and other scheme adjustments. That opens other issues, but it’s at least a solvable problem.

Perhaps the most pressing issue is how Miami’s edge group will contain Allen’s scrambling ability. Chubb and Judon look incredibly slow in open space this season, while Bell, Goode, and McLendon are hardly elite athletes.

Phillips and Robinson were always Miami’s best shot to have an edge bother Allen when he decides to break the pocket, especially when he’s trying to pass, not run.

Miami could spy Allen with a linebacker like Tyrel Dodson or Jordyn Brooks, but that pulls a player out of coverage, and Allen is more than content to take checkdowns, like he did in Week 3.

One out-of-the-box option the Dolphins could try is using Willie Gay Jr. on the edge. He played on the ball for the Saints last season and is probably the team’s most athletic option to chase down Allen in space.

Gay Jr. has played 18 of his 37 defensive snaps in the past two weeks, so perhaps the coaching staff is starting to trust him, but we wouldn’t bet on that.

Miami beating Buffalo was going to be an uphill battle no matter what, but missing Robinson will make it just that more difficult.

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