Robert Beal Jr. signed by Dolphins
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 02: Robert Beal Jr. #51 of the San Francisco 49ers in action during the NFL 2025 game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 02, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Miami Dolphins could have once been considered to be one of the best teams in terms of the edge rushing talent they had at their disposal. With players such as Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, they were more often than not capable of wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. Now though, that has changed and the goal of the new regime is to get back to what it was.
Today, they may have done just that with a player that may not be on many people’s radars just yet but has the pedigree to back up and justify his signing. Robert Beal Jr., a former national title winner at Georgia, arrives in Miami with an opportunity to become a household name.
A Championship Pedigree With Elite Speed
Beal Jr. does not pop out compared to other edge rushing talents, but his athleticism is elite nonetheless. His 4.48 time in the 40 yard dash at the combine three years ago proves just that. However, what should really intrigue a lot of Dolphins fans about the play of Robert Beal Jr. is his role on UGA’s 2021 title winning squad.
On that team, there were a plethora of future NFL talents, including several first and second rounders: Travon Walker, Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Mykel Williams, and more. However, when you look at the stats, Beal topped them all in one highly important metric: sacks. With 6.5, he led the team despite the caliber of players he was around.
This move is much bigger for the Dolphins than people think. While they have addressed some holes along the line, they needed more rotational depth so that their young pass rush could be more fresh and get more snaps. Beal can provide that relief. On a team that boasted talent such as Nock Boasa and depth options such as Leonard Floyd, Clelin Ferrell, and Chase Young, Beal could not get onto the field that often.
A Potential Depth Piece With Special Teams Value
While he has dealt with a number of injuries throughout his career and having to go between active rosters and practice squads, the stability that the Dolphins will do wonders for a player who could be a sneaky pickup down the road.
He also does has some experience to his name, so it’s now as if the Dolphins are getting the raw prospect that he was when he arrived in San Francisco as a fifth round pick. Still, the question might be where to play him and get the most production out of him.
Having played in 25 career games, he has the potential to become a reliable player along the defense. However, he also has excelled in special teams moments. Therefore, it would not be crazy to imagine Beal becoming a capable special teams player that could affect games in unique ways.
The bottom line is that Beal may not be the acquisition Dolphins fans may have wanted, but he could quickly become a fan favorite due to his elite athleticism and unique traits that could help ingratiate himself within a rebuilding squad.