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Make way for one of the most exciting practice squad players in quite some time. Janarius Robinson’s insane athleticism jumps off the tape on every camera angle, especially his “ridiculous” 86-inch wingspan and massive hands. And now the Philadelphia Eagles have him on the roster.
The team plucked Robinson off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad on Tuesday, stealing away a favorite project player from their Week 2 opponent. The Eagles had extra space on the 53 after placing defensive end Derek Barnett on injured reserve.
Robinson, a fourth-round pick (134th overall) in 2021, was being groomed to be the next Danielle Hunter. That plan was put on hold due to a season-ending knee injury in 2021. Robinson missed his entire rookie campaign, then failed to make it through final roster cuts last month.
The 6-foot-5, 266-pounder was a physical specimen at Florida State where he racked up 48 tackles (9 for loss) and 3 sacks as a senior. Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports said he looked like a “pass-catching tight end on the field,” a speedy defensive end with the ability to track down a running back from behind.
Here’s what Trapasso wrote after the Vikings cut Robinson:
Not everyone listed in this tracker will be a household name. Robinson, who missed his entire rookie season with injury, is worthy of a flier for a club looking to add – and has room for – a developmental, low-risk, potentially high-reward edge rusher. That’s precisely what Robinson is, a nearly 6-6, 260-pound, long-armed rusher with quality physical tools and the ability to flash around the corner. He had three pressures on 40 pass-rush snaps this preseason. A work in progress? Absolutely. But with Robinson the upside is palpable on film.
Jonathan Gannon Gives First Impressions on Vikings
Robinson likely won’t be on the field on Sunday when the Eagles and Vikings go at it. He needs time to learn Jonathan Gannon’s system, plus there are several intriguing options ahead of him on the depth chart. His time will come.
For now, Gannon is focused on coaching the guys on the 53. His defense will have its hands full with a loaded Vikings’ offense featuring Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook.
“Explosive. Explosive. They have some explosive people over there,” Gannon told reporters. “The quarterback is a really good player, knows where to go with the ball, comes out fast. Obviously, they have some wide outs and a back. I was with a couple of those guys and they’re really good players, so we’re going to have to be on it to give ourselves a chance to win a game on Monday.”
Gannon knows them from his stint as assistant defensive backs coach for Minnesota (2014-17). His secondary had to battle that offense (minus Jefferson) every day in practice.
Justin Jefferson ‘Takes the Roof Off’
Gannon didn’t want to rank the Vikings’ offensive playmakers in any specific order. He is fully aware that all of them are dangerous, a group likely to give keep him up at night throughout the week as he prepares the defensive gameplan. However, Gannon was willing to admit that Justin Jefferson is a “special player.”
“He can beat you all different types of ways,” Gannon said, “so when you’re looking at his game, he’s not a one-dimensional guy. He can take the roof off, he can beat you underneath, he can beat you with yards after catch.”
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