Dolphins Wide Receiver Robbie Chosen Fighting for Roster Spot

[Jetsfan80]

I had no idea he'd changed his name again....

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/miami-dolphins-robbie-chosen-kelly-column

Kelly: Is Robbie Chosen Being Put on Ice by  the Dolphins?

One of the biggest mysteries of training camp is why Robbie Chosen is getting sporadic reps during the Miami Dolphins' 11-on-11 period

• OMAR KELLY
• AUG 4, 2023 6:59 PM EDT

 

Some players in the NFL have the deck stacked against them.

The game they are forced to play usually isn’t fair because of their contract, or their age, or an off-the-field situation. Or maybe it’s someone on the team having a superior draft standing to them.

That’s just the reality of professional football, if not all of professional sports. If we're being honest, it's just part of life.

Not everyone is going to start the race at the same point.

 

Receiver Robbie Chosen, who had a breakout 95-yard performance on two catches during Friday’s practice, seems to be in one of those situations during the early period of training camp with the Miami Dolphins.

For unknown reasons that haven’t been specified, there have been undrafted receivers who have taken more snaps during 11-on-11 work than Chosen, an eight-year veteran who has started 86 NFL games.

 

While all 11 receivers are being worked in with various quarterbacks, Chosen usually  is watching practice’s most important drills — 11-on-11s — from the sideline.

In the first eight practices he’s only been included in the action for a handful of snaps despite routinely showcasing the speed that helped him accumulate 4,596 yards and score 29 touchdowns on 375 receptions.

Accomplished vet receiver rarely gets reps

Has he lost a step?

 

Does Chosen, who signed a one-year deal for $1.31 million this offseason to achieve his goal of playing for the team he cheered for as a child, not know the offensive plays?

Is Miami giving younger receivers like Erik Ezukanma, Braylon Sanders, Freddie Swain and Daewood Davis move opportunities to showcase themselves?

That’s a question fans, media and players on the team have been whispering as roles are being carved out in training camp.

 

Based on Chosen’s strong showing in the offseason program, where he handled a significant amount of reps because Tyreek Hill sat out and Jaylen Waddle and Baxton Berrios were seemingly on a pitch count, the prevailing thought was Chosen has done enough to compete for the No. 3 receiver role.

However, it seems that battle is between Berrios, a slot receiver; Ezukanma, a 2022 fourth-round pick; and Cedrick Wilson Jr., who is guaranteed $5 million of his $7 million salary in 2023.

 

Wes Welker addresses Robbie Chosen's situation

“The opportunities will present itself as camp kind of goes on,” Dolphins receivers coach Wes Welker said Friday, minutes before Chosen’s role was seemingly elevated because of an undisclosed injury Ezukanma suffered in practice, which forced him to sit out Friday’s work.

“It’s always tough when you’re talking about reps. We've got to get Jaylen on this, Braylon Sanders, or whoever it is as far as those deep threats. He’s actually been going deep. We just haven’t thrown it yet,” Welker said. “[Chosen’s] been doing some good things and when he’s gotten his opportunity he’s done a nice job. The ball just hasn’t necessarily come his way yet. Sometimes that happens. You’ve just got to stay with it, and stay patient.”

 

Coincidentally, facing this type of adversity isn’t new to Chosen. He’s done it his whole life because of poor choices he’s made, which forced him to work twice as hard to make people overlook.

That’s what happened when he got kicked out of Temple because of academics and fought his way back onto the Owls roster.

It’s what happened to Chosen when he joined the NFL as an undrafted rookie and worked his way into a starting role as a rookie with the New York Jets.

 

And it’s seemingly happening to him again.

“I’m not worried about that. We’re all here to get better,” Chosen said when asked about his limited opportunities,” said Chosen, who started seven games last season for the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals, who traded for him.

“I’m thankful,” Chosen said. “I’m blessed and very appreciative to be home. It means a lot to me.”

Is he worried about his standing with the team considering it could cost him a roster spot seeing as how the Dolphins will only keep five or six receivers on the 53-man roster?

“I don’t worry. Worry is a wasted thought. I’m not concerned about things like that,” Chosen said. ”I’m just here to contribute to us winning the Super Bowl and winning games. That’s it.”

[Joe W. Namath]

Robbie washed up pretty quick.  Loved him when he was here though.  During that awful stretch has was maybe the only exciting player we had.

[NIGHT STALKER]

No matter how many times this clown changes his name, he's still a turd.  Started way back in his high school days in Ft. Lauderdale...you can't shine sh*t.

[SomebodytoAnybody47]

Idk why he went to Miami. Maybe his options were slim but that's the last place that needs a deep threat. 

[Larz]

It’s possible that they are looking at the younger guys running wit the 1’s. 
 

 

[Kleckineau]

Hope his mom invested some of his money that cant be touched till later in life. He is near the end of this football thing.

[Kleckineau]

2 minutes ago, Zachtomims47 said:

Idk why he went to Miami. Maybe his options were slim but that's the last place that needs a deep threat. 

Well he lives down there so it makes tc easier for him and if he can show something in the ps games another team may pick him up.

[Bronx]

30 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I had no idea he'd changed his name again

Did he struck out already?

CBS can accept one name change every 12 months, and you can only change your name three times in your lifetime. Permission from the relevant authorities is required for: serious sex offenders.

[Jetsfan80]

1 hour ago, Joe W. Namath said:

Robbie washed up pretty quick.  Loved him when he was here though.  During that awful stretch has was maybe the only exciting player we had.

Now look at us.  Thank you Joe Douglas thank you!

[Jetsfan80]

1 hour ago, Zachtomims47 said:

Idk why he went to Miami. Maybe his options were slim but that's the last place that needs a deep threat. 

True but then again at least in theory they'd be one injury away (or a Tyreek Hill suspension away) from him becoming at least somewhat valuable.  Hasn't worked out though, clearly.  He isn't young any longer (he turned 30 in May!) so if he lost a step his value becomes nil to any team out there.

[Warfish]

3 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

Now look at us.  Thank you Joe Douglas thank you!

*grumble* I'd thank him alot more if he'd picked Jaxon Smith-Njigba........ *end/ grumble*

[slats]

1 hour ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I had no idea he'd changed his name again....

He’s listed as Chosen Anderson on pro-football-reference and Over The Cap. 
  
He’s a guy whose entire game has been his speed, and now he’s at that age (30) where that starts to go. I don’t think I keep a fifth or sixth WR who basically runs go routes but doesn’t run quite as fast as he used to. You need a lot more versatility from those roster spots. 

[Jetsfan80]

16 minutes ago, slats said:

He’s listed as Chosen Anderson on pro-football-reference and Over The Cap. 
  
He’s a guy whose entire game has been his speed, and now he’s at that age (30) where that starts to go. I don’t think I keep a fifth or sixth WR who basically runs go routes but doesn’t run quite as fast as he used to. You need a lot more versatility from those roster spots. 

Yep, he has to prove worthy of a WR4 spot and at age 30 I can't see any team out there willing to give him that spot, even on the cheap.

As for the name:  He's been wearing "Chosen" on the back of his jersey, lulz.  Hence why its been assumed he changed his name again but I guess this time its unofficial?  Who knows...

[slimjasi]

29 minutes ago, Warfish said:

*grumble* I'd thank him alot more if he'd picked Jaxon Smith-Njigba........ *end/ grumble*

Sounds like he wasn’t even on the Jets short list when they picked 

[Warfish]

8 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

Sounds like he wasn’t even on the Jets short list when they picked 

Clearly.  I think they're going to be 100% wrong on this one, at the end of the day.

[Maxman]

Why did he change his name?

[Green Ghost]

24 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Clearly.  I think they're going to be 100% wrong on this one, at the end of the day.

You’re not alone in thinking this.

[Gibby]

Rumor has it he lost time on the field because he was in a heated debate with a rock. Heard it was close but the rock edged him out in the final session.

[Warfish]

12 minutes ago, Green Ghost said:

You’re not alone in thinking this.

I hope Lazard esp. proves me wrong.  If he rises to be a big impact player, to be a legit #2 behind Wilson, for several years, ok.

Davis I have little hope for, but who knows.  Pre-Zach Wilson he looked like a guy with a future.  But those drops, and that health, ugh.

I just think JSN is going to be a lot more than the "just a slot guy" the "we like anything JD does, and JD picked a rotational DE, so we love the rotation DE!" guys here at JN think.

Obviously, if McDonald blows up the league, then I'll be wrong there too, and that (now) is whats best for us, so I hope I'm wrong on two fronts.

 

[Darnold's Forehead]

[slimjasi]

57 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Clearly.  I think they're going to be 100% wrong on this one, at the end of the day.

I’m sort of mixed. I JSN will be good and probably would have taken him on draft night, but I also think McDonald might be a player. That spin move is looking pretty nasty. Should do well in Saleh’s system.  

 

[y2k8]

 

He changed his name but kept "Robbie"?

[Jetsfan80]

4 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

I’m sort of mixed. I JSN will be good and probably would have taken him on draft night, but I also think McDonald might be a player. That spin move is looking pretty nasty. Should do well in Saleh’s system.  

So many people are assuming a 6-1, 196 lbs slot receiver is going to be a massive immediate success in the NFL and I don't see it.  

I admittedly didn't know much about McDonald when the Jets took him but I also don't understand why JSN was such an obsession.

In just about any other draft class JSN would be a 2nd/3rd round relative afterthought.  It was only the WR class being so weak this past draft that pumped him up the board.

[slimjasi]

2 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

So many people are assuming a 6-1, 196 lbs slot receiver is going to be a massive immediate success in the NFL and I don't see it.  

I admittedly didn't know much about McDonald when the Jets took him but I also don't understand why JSN was such an obsession.

In just about any other draft class JSN would be a 2nd/3rd round relative afterthought.  It was only the WR class being so weak this past draft that pumped him up the board.

I think folks are obsessed with WRs, in general. People always want to take the best available WR. 

 

I think JSN will be good but I also don't think WR was as big of a need as a lot of folks here felt it was. 

[peekskill68]

I see Grier and McDaniel are loading up on character guys.  Makes Cook's signing down there almost a foregone conclusion...

[Warfish]

22 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

I think folks are obsessed with WRs, in general. People always want to take the best available WR.

Do you remember what our WR room looked like not long ago?

Did you know we're one of the consistently worst passing Offenses in the NFL over the last 30 years?

There is a good reason some of us want to stack offensive talent at every opportunity.  We've literally never been good at NFL offense since Namath was here.  We have fielded top 5 offenses only twice since 1980.  Twice.  Both times we made the AFCCG.

We were a top 5 defense as it was ffs, and it won us a sub .500 record.  It wasn't like we sucked on D last year.  We've been top 10 in Defense regularly, to little impact post-seasonally.  The Rex years are really the blueprint for Defense Wins Championships (tm).

We just spent the farm on Aaron Rodgers.  A short term rental if ever there was one.  Now was the time to invest in offense, both to help AR score points, and for whomever replaces him in a year or two.

Given our roster, JSN would have been an every-down starter as the slot #3, ahead of anyone not named Wilson in terms if talent as a ball-catcher and passing game impact player.  Lazard isn't a true impact player as a WR.  Neither is Davis, and the guys behind them aren't worth discussion as true impact WR's.

I just think that impact (and folks who think he's not going to be good should re-read the scouting reports, and the reports now coming out of Seattle, this kid is a #1 pick any year, not just last year, and was better than Wilson.....just ask Wilson himself) of this kid would be higher than the impact of a another rotation edge who is going to likely play 15-20% of defensive snaps this year and next, and does little to help AR score points.

22 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

I think JSN will be good but I also don't think WR was as big of a need as a lot of folks here felt it was. 

I think this all comes down to how much you like Lazard, Hardman and Davis. 

Or how much you think AR alone can make up for having mediocre WR's.  

[JohnnyLV]

24 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

So many people are assuming a 6-1, 196 lbs slot receiver is going to be a massive immediate success in the NFL and I don't see it.  

I admittedly didn't know much about McDonald when the Jets took him but I also don't understand why JSN was such an obsession.

In just about any other draft class JSN would be a 2nd/3rd round relative afterthought.  It was only the WR class being so weak this past draft that pumped him up the board.

Part of it was Garret saying he was the best receiver on their college team. Part of it was that he was the clear #1 receiver in the draft and was there for the taking when we could use a slot guy. Part of it was we picked like the 5th rated EDGE over the #1 receiver. Part of it is that in the Saleh system MacDonald will play like 10% of the snaps this year on defense where JSN would get 50%+. Part of it was going all in for the QB you just paid the world for. 

I would have run to the podium with the JSN pick. Not so sure about your 2nd/3rd grade but there were some that had speed concerns with JSN.

Still MacDonald still seems to me to be a vintage high ceiling reach with high bust potential and almost guaranteed limited impact in season 1

I am not a huge JD draft fan.  Gardner and Wilson and Breece would have been our picks if we used a draft guide. The AVT trade was poor. The Becton pick was criminally stupid and I said so at the time.

[JohnnyLV]

7 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Do you remember what our WR room looked like not long ago?

Did you know we're one of the consistently worst passing Offenses in the NFL over the last 30 years?

There is a good reason some of us want to stack offensive talent at every opportunity.  We've literally never been good at NFL offense since Namath was here.  We have fielded top 5 offenses only twice since 1980.  Twice.  Both times we made the AFCCG.

We were a top 5 defense as it was ffs, and it won us a sub .500 record.  It wasn't like we sucked on D last year.  We've been top 10 in Defense regularly, to little impact post-seasonally.  The Rex years are really the blueprint for Defense Wins Championships (tm).

We just spent the farm on Aaron Rodgers.  A short term rental if ever there was one.  Now was the time to invest in offense, both to help AR score points, and for whomever replaces him in a year or two.

Given our roster, JSN would have been an every-down starter as the slot #3, ahead of anyone not named Wilson in terms if talent as a ball-catcher and passing game impact player.  Lazard isn't a true impact player as a WR.  Neither is Davis, and the guys behind them aren't worth discussion as true impact WR's.

I just think that impact (and folks who think he's not going to be good should re-read the scouting reports, and the reports now coming out of Seattle, this kid is a #1 pick any year, not just last year, and was better than Wilson.....just ask Wilson himself) of this kid would be higher than the impact of a another rotation edge who is going to likely play 15-20% of defensive snaps this year and next, and does little to help AR score points.

I think this all comes down to how much you like Lazard, Hardman and Davis. 

Or how much you think AR alone can make up for having mediocre WR's.  

It seems all the years of defensive head coaches has conditioned so many fans to just want defense in the first round like every year and mostly EDGE. I am with you. I thought JSN was a complete no brainer run to the podium type pick. And we are still super thin at WR. Hardman Cobb are both 1 year deals. We have Wilson, Lazard and rookies heading into 2024.

[Sperm Edwards]

2 hours ago, slats said:

He’s listed as Chosen Anderson on pro-football-reference and Over The Cap. 
  
He’s a guy whose entire game has been his speed, and now he’s at that age (30) where that starts to go. I don’t think I keep a fifth or sixth WR who basically runs go routes but doesn’t run quite as fast as he used to. You need a lot more versatility from those roster spots. 

 

2 hours ago, Jetsfan80 said:

Yep, he has to prove worthy of a WR4 spot and at age 30 I can't see any team out there willing to give him that spot, even on the cheap.

As for the name:  He's been wearing "Chosen" on the back of his jersey, lulz.  Hence why its been assumed he changed his name again but I guess this time its unofficial?  Who knows...

Not that he hasn't made his own problems, and definitely not to say his straightaway speed doesn't matter, but in his best season he wasn't used on mostly go routes. Quite the contrary; it was mostly underneath with his catch percentage between 15-20% higher than the rest of his career.

He seems to have no brains or self-awareness off the field, so that's working against him as well. "I'm going to change my name to Chosen while I already have a reputation for being a little light from the neck up." His goal to be showing prospective HCs/GMs that he's matured & grown up & a team-first guy, not changing his name to one that indicates he's more about #1 than ever before.

I mean, what an idiot. 

[slimjasi]

10 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Do you remember what our WR room looked like not long ago?

Did you know we're one of the consistently worst passing Offenses in the NFL over the last 30 years?

There is a good reason some of us want to stack offensive talent at every opportunity.  We've literally never been good at NFL offense since Namath was here.  We have fielded top 5 offenses only twice since 1980.  Twice.  Both times we made the AFCCG.

We were a top 5 defense as it was ffs, and it won us a sub .500 record.  It wasn't like we sucked on D last year.  We've been top 10 in Defense regularly, to little impact post-seasonally.  The Rex years are really the blueprint for Defense Wins Championships (tm).

We just spent the farm on Aaron Rodgers.  A short term rental if ever there was one.  Now was the time to invest in offense, both to help AR score points, and for whomever replaces him in a year or two.

Given our roster, JSN would have been an every-down starter as the slot #3, ahead of anyone not named Wilson in terms if talent as a ball-catcher and passing game impact player.  Lazard isn't a true impact player as a WR.  Neither is Davis, and the guys behind them aren't worth discussion as true impact WR's.

I just think that impact (and folks who think he's not going to be good should re-read the scouting reports, and the reports now coming out of Seattle, this kid is a #1 pick any year, not just last year, and was better than Wilson.....just ask Wilson himself) of this kid would be higher than the impact of a another rotation edge who is going to likely play 15-20% of defensive snaps this year and next, and does little to help AR score points.

I think this all comes down to how much you like Lazard, Hardman and Davis. 

Or how much you think AR alone can make up for having mediocre WR's.  

We haven't been good on offense in a very long time because we've had really bad QB play for a very long time. Suddenly, we have Aaron Rodgers. 

Our WRs are pretty good now. Not great, but pretty good and certainly good enough if Aaron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers, IMO. And, if Rodgers is washed, then this regime will be out of here soon, anyway. 

Incidentally, the other thing the Jets have been bad at for a very long time is having a consistent 4th quarter pass rush. If we can significantly upgrade our collective sack total from our edge rushers to go along with double digit sacks from QW, our defense will really be cooking with gas and we will be a very tough out for Miami and Buffalo, who both rely on throwing the ball all over the lot. 

 

[Jetsfan80]

34 minutes ago, JohnnyLV said:

I am not a huge JD draft fan.  Gardner and Wilson and Breece would have been our picks if we used a draft guide. The AVT trade was poor. The Becton pick was criminally stupid and I said so at the time.

Gardner and Breece were the "obvious" picks, I suppose, but not Garrett Wilson.  Some here wanted an EDGE guy there, I recall.

Having a GM who makes the "obvious" pick 3 straight times and has them all work out is most assuredly a massive upgrade over the GMs this org has trotted out there on draft day for the last 20 years.

As for the trade-up for AVT, sure, we can argue he gave up too much to get him but it's impossible to argue he was a bad pick at this point.  He was arguably our MVP for '22 before he went down and has proven capable of playing 3 of the OL spots at a high level.  That pick is a W in the JD column, not an L.

Trading picks for a pick is such a weird thing to complain about anyways.  We're all well aware of how much of a crapshoot the draft is.  Moving up for a guy you REALLY want, even if you give up quite a bit to do so, isn't that big of a deal for me.  Some of Tannenbaum's best moments happened when he traded up.  You just can't do it ALL the time like Tannnebaum did.  JD has picked his spots nicely.

[Warfish]

16 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

He seems to have no brains or self-awareness off the field, so that's working against him as well. "I'm going to change my name to Chosen while I already have a reputation for being a little light from the neck up." His goal to be showing prospective HCs/GMs that he's matured & grown up & a team-first guy, not changing his name to one that indicates he's more about #1 than ever before.

I mean, what an idiot. 

"Chosen" would have made an excellent target of a Key & Peele sketch.

[Warfish]

15 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

We haven't been good on offense in a very long time because we've had really bad QB play for a very long time. Suddenly, we have Aaron Rodgers. 

Which to me seems to be what everyone who now downplays the WR position seems to be banking on.  That AR will take guys we've either been VERY critical of (David) or who most Jets fans never heard of (Lazard/Hardman) before the AR trade, and make them studs now.

15 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

Our WRs are pretty good now. Not great, but pretty good and certainly good enough if Aaron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers, IMO.

We'll see.  I have faith in Wilson.  The rest?  Not so much.

15 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

And, if Rodgers is washed, then this regime will be out of here soon, anyway.

Not the outcome I'm rooting for.  

15 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

Incidentally, the other thing the Jets have been bad at for a very long time is having a consistent 4th quarter pass rush. If we can significantly upgrade our collective sack total from our edge rushers to go along with double digit sacks from QW, our defense will really be cooking with gas and we will be a very tough out for Miami and Buffalo, who both rely on throwing the ball all over the lot. 

I agree, pass rush has been a weakness at varying points as well.

But somehow we've managed to still be top 5 several times without elite rushers or grotesque sack numbers.

Harder to find great years of offense without pretty damn great WR's for us.  Seems like alot of folks think we just need adequate, like a 15th or 17th ranked offense, and we'll win it all with Defense.  I have my doubts.  AR returning to a top 10 Offense leader is our real key to success in 2024.  Not McDonald playing 15% of snaps and getting 4 or 5 sacks spread over the entire season.

[slimjasi]

31 minutes ago, JohnnyLV said:

It seems all the years of defensive head coaches has conditioned so many fans to just want defense in the first round like every year and mostly EDGE. I am with you. I thought JSN was a complete no brainer run to the podium type pick. And we are still super thin at WR. Hardman Cobb are both 1 year deals. We have Wilson, Lazard and rookies heading into 2024.

 

38 minutes ago, JohnnyLV said:

Part of it was Garret saying he was the best receiver on their college team. Part of it was that he was the clear #1 receiver in the draft and was there for the taking when we could use a slot guy. Part of it was we picked like the 5th rated EDGE over the #1 receiver. Part of it is that in the Saleh system MacDonald will play like 10% of the snaps this year on defense where JSN would get 50%+. Part of it was going all in for the QB you just paid the world for. 

I would have run to the podium with the JSN pick. Not so sure about your 2nd/3rd grade but there were some that had speed concerns with JSN.

Still MacDonald still seems to me to be a vintage high ceiling reach with high bust potential and almost guaranteed limited impact in season 1

I am not a huge JD draft fan.  Gardner and Wilson and Breece would have been our picks if we used a draft guide. The AVT trade was poor. The Becton pick was criminally stupid and I said so at the time.

Don't you think it's interesting that this "no brainer/run to the podium" WR was available at #20 overall? Compare that to the two prior drafts. 6 WRs were drafted before pick 20 in 2022 and 3 were drafted before pick 20 in 2021. They can certainly be wrong, but it's clear that NFL GMs didn't hold this WR class in particularly high regard. 

It remains to be seen what JSN is as a pro (I think he'll be a good player, FWIW), but I think you have to keep this sort of context in mind. The reality is that none of the 2023 WRs were considered "no brainers" (your phrase). 

[The Crusher]

52 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

 

Not that he hasn't made his own problems, and definitely not to say his straightaway speed doesn't matter, but in his best season he wasn't used on mostly go routes. Quite the contrary; it was mostly underneath with his catch percentage between 15-20% higher than the rest of his career.

He seems to have no brains or self-awareness off the field, so that's working against him as well. "I'm going to change my name to Chosen while I already have a reputation for being a little light from the neck up." His goal to be showing prospective HCs/GMs that he's matured & grown up & a team-first guy, not changing his name to one that indicates he's more about #1 than ever before.

I mean, what an idiot. 

He should have changed his first name to Mr. Instead.