The Cowboys have iced Reggie Robinson all 11 games this season. They may not have a choice but to thaw him out. We look at the rook.
Whether it be process of elimination or not, it appears that Tuesday’s Week 13 tilt against the Baltimore Ravens will afford one rookie his best chance to see the field in 2020. Dallas Cowboys’ fourth-round defensive back Reggie Robinson was drafted out of Tulsa as a cornerback, but was shifted to safety by the coaching staff.
It was a starting move for many fans, as it came equipped with an edict that the defensive back staff didn’t see much difference between corner and safety. Regardless, the move led Robinson to the back of the line as there were no preseason games for him to acclimate to the single-high responsibilities now thrust on him. Week after week of the regular season has come and gone, and despite the Dallas defense being putrid more often than not, Robinson hasn’t been active. That might change this week.
The Cowboys are hurting at safety; really hurting. After jettisoning Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – their prize offseason signing in the secondary – during training camp, Darian Thompson took over the starting role at free safety. That was short-lived as Thompson was regularly made to look bad by opponents. In came 2019 sixth-round pick Donovan Wilson.
Wilson was a strong safety which meant Xavier Woods, formerly a free safety, moved back to his position from the previous three seasons. The problem is that now Wilson is hurting, suffering a groin injury in Thanksgiving’s game against Washington and missing practice this week.
With all of the shuffling, including Thompson’s demotion, there’s been a plethora of injuries at cornerback. Still, Dallas has refused to move Robinson back. Anthony Brown has been out for two spells with rib issues. Chidobe Awuzie missed two months with a bad hamstring. Rookie Trevon Diggs is currently out with a foot injury.
Still, no Robinson. In fact, a player Dallas signed to their practice squad in Week 2, Steven Parker, has seen plenty of snaps as Dallas has gone to a three-safety look often over the last several games.
Parker’s injured, too, and is questionable for Tuesday’s game along with Brown and Wilson.
This all may lead to the first chance Robinson has to prove what he can do on the NFL field.
Selected No. 123 in the draft, Robinson is an outstanding athlete who had perhaps one of the biggest jumps in college play of any prospect in 2019. His pro potential was masked, but a dynamic final season saw him lead the AAC in pass defenses (13) and he was named first-team All-Conference. He recorded 38 total tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries,
Also on his resume are four blocked kicks on special teams, which could be key because that may be the way he gets onto Tuesday’s active roster.
Robinson is 6-foot-1, weighs 205 pounds and runs a 4.44 forty-yard dash. He also bench pressed 22 times at the combine. His one athletic shortcoming is his 3-cone shuttle time, which may have been the reason Dallas wanted to try him as a center field defender.
With so many secondary players headed towards free agency in 2021, it would seem logical Dallas’ staff wants to collect as much information on their 2020 draft class as possible over these last five games. Of course, we’ve been saying that over the prior four games as well. Dallas still having a chance to win the NFC East seems to be preventing them from making roster decisions that would give themselves intel on who might be ready for a bigger role in 2021.
Several players, including Wilson, Neville Gallimore and Tyler Biadasz were held back, but showed their worth when given the chance. If the injuries create space for him on Tuesday, perhaps Robinson will join that group as well.
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