Dunta

Robinson

He’s been unable to practice this week. Robinson has really impressed in training camp, making plays during all three of Houston’s preseason games. He’ll start opposite Aaron Glenn in week one.

The South Carolina product will undergo tests today. He’s been the best rookie corner in the NFL, with 32 tackles, 3 interceptions, and ten passes defensed thus far.

Philip Buchanon is likely to be the team’s top returner as long as Jerome Mathis is injured.

He’ll be fined $40,000 instead. The league determined that Robinson did violate player safety rules, but not enough to result in a ban from games. A year after Robinson laid a monster hit on Eagles WR DeSean Jackson, Robinson put another vicious one on Maclin and was whistled for unnecessary roughness.

It’s likely for a sixth-round pick. Atlanta’s interest in Samuel wasn’t just a smokescreen to get Brent Grimes to sign his franchise tender. As NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal points out, even with Samuel restructuring his contract, the trio of Samuel, Grimes, and Dunta Robinson would be the most expensive in NFL history. Robinson’s $5 million salary is fully guaranteed, which means he or Grimes will likely see plenty of time in the slot. The Eagles, meanwhile, will have close to $20 million in cap space after the trade.

He also slashed $1 million off his 2012 salary. The other $5 million of his salary is fully guaranteed. Robinson did add $1 million to each of his salaries in 2013 and 2014, and $2 million to his 2015 salary, although none of that is guaranteed money. Ultimately, Robinson essentially took a pay cut, which sounds about right because he’s been a free-agent bust in Atlanta.

It’s particularly notable because Robinson played in the slot with the Texans early in his career and got absolutely toasted. “I know Dunta has wanted to play inside in the nickel spot,” said GM Tom Dimitroff. “He did it out in Houston before he came our way. He’s an aggressive guy who can play the run as well as be aggressive in the pass game. I think it’s going to be a nice mix of talents.”

Robinson has fallen well short of expectations since Atlanta made him one of the NFL’s highest paid cornerbacks in 2012, but they’re going to have to suck it up for one more year. Robinson has just three interceptions in 31 games as a Falcon, and Pro Football Focus graded him 101st of 109 qualifying cornerbacks in 2011. Robinson ranked an even worse 105th in pass coverage.

The first-round pick has had more good moments than bad early this season. He looks like a solid starter for years to come, and exactly what the Texans defense needed.

Citing his familiarity with the slot from his Texans days, Robinson had actually requested the move several times before the acquisition of Asante Samuel. Mike Nolan designed plays for three legit starting cornerbacks since taking the coordinator job, realizing the trio would be on the field more often than not in today’s pass-happy NFL.