Listen, while our Seahawks were out there absolutely carving up the Los Angeles Chargers, dropping a sweet 30 points on them for a 30-23 final, not every team in the league is feeling that Emerald City high right now. Down in Miami, they just got hit with the gut-punch of the season, losing their top dog, De’Von Achane, to a season-ending ACL tear way back in Week 3 of this ’26 season. Now, with their main man sidelined, everyone in South Beach is scrambling to figure out who’s gonna step up and be *the* player on that roster.
From Superfan Optimism to Deep Despair: Who’s Stepping Up For Miami?
Achane’s injury was brutal, no doubt. After that news broke, the big question hanging over Miami was simple: Who’s the best overall player on their current active roster, and why? It’s a tough question when you’re already calling it a “rebuilding year.” With Achane out, the leadership and performance mantle has squarely shifted to other key pillars, especially in the trenches. Starting center Aaron Brewer and edge rusher Chop Robinson have really emerged as the team’s top foundational and most impactful players. But is that enough?
The Jacob Rodriguez Hype Train Is Rolling (Mostly)
So, what are the fans saying? StanleyDoyle1 thinks that linebacker from TT, Jacob Rodriguez, might already be one of their best, pointing to his productivity and impact. Phoenix6 is all-in on Chop, while Jptapt split their vote, initially picking Aaron Brewer but then leaning hard into Chop Robinson, calling him “most important foundational piece & breakout defensive cornerstone.” Miami7 likes “those two LBs in the middle,” the “law firm of Brooks & Roderiguez,” specifically giving the nod to “the young’n Roderiguez” for elevating to lead the defense. sdphinsfan is also riding with the rookie LB, Rodriguez, and veteran OL Brewer as clear building blocks. Hey, Patrick Paul even got a shout-out from PA phinphan for being consistent with his PFF grades.
But not everyone is seeing rainbows. heatforlife is seriously down on a rookie in the secondary, calling him “salt water taffe not an nfl player” and declaring it “sad times in dolphins land.” Ouch. And Dolphster, well, they’re more focused on the blonde cheerleader, Sarah, which kinda tells you how much attention they’re paying to the field product this season. Still, despite the mixed bag and the lack of a full consensus, it’s clear a lot of folks are looking at rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez as *the guy*, hoping he can carry that team for years.
It’s clear that while the Dolphins are in a full-blown rebuilding year with Achane sidelined, rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has really grabbed the spotlight as their potential future leader. It’s tough out there for some teams, but here in the Emerald City, we’re just gonna keep riding that Seahawk high. Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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