Seemingly every year since Sean McVay arrived in 2017, the Los Angeles Rams have made a meaningful addition at wide receiver. That trend continued this week after the Rams agreed to a three-year deal with Allen Robinson.
It was a move that few people saw coming, especially with Odell Beckham Jr. still available and the Rams already having a quality trio of Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Van Jefferson. But McVay loves wide receivers and he sees Robinson as a valuable addition to an offense that now boasts what might be the best pass-catching group in the NFL.
The reported terms of the deal are three years and $46.5 million total, with $30.7 million fully guaranteed. Robinson is now the third Rams receiver making at least $15 million per year; they’re the only team in the NFL with three wideouts earning that much annually, all ranking in the top 20 at their position.
Sinking that much money into wide receivers isn’t necessarily great business, but as many have alluded to, another move could be coming (a trade involving Woods, perhaps?). In the event that he’s traded, the Rams could add help at a position of greater need like edge rusher or cornerback.
But as it stands right now, it’s hard not to like the addition of Robinson to this offense. What immediately stands out is the different type of receiver he is compared to Kupp, Woods and Jefferson. At 6-foot-3, he’s the tallest of the bunch and his length gives him a massive catch radius for his quarterback.
He’s especially good in contested-catch situations, too, coming down with 71 such grabs since 2018, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s the most among all wide receivers since 2018, regularly coming down with catches in traffic.
In part, that’s because he doesn’t generate much separation – third-least in the NFL last season – but it’s also an example of how physical he is at the catch point. Kupp and Woods are good in those situations, too, they don’t elevate and make grabs over defenders the way Robinson does.
There's no such thing as a 50/50 ball with @AllenRobinson.@RamsNFL | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/UrAGLVCopm
— NFL (@NFL) March 17, 2022
He’s not the fastest receiver in the NFL after running a 4.6 40-yard dash, but he has the length and athleticism to be a vertical threat down the field. He hasn’t had a quarterback with the willingness or ability to throw it deep like Matthew Stafford does, so we should see even more big plays from him in a Rams uniform.
Where Robinson also carries a lot of value is in the red zone. His height makes him a great end zone target, especially with a quarterback who knows how to throw a fade like Stafford. This grab he made over a Colts defender in 2020 is an example of what he can bring to the Rams offense, which has had its share of struggles in the red zone.
As good as Kupp, Woods and Jefferson are, they don’t make catches like this one as regularly as Robinson does.
Air Robinson 🆙 @AllenRobinson
📺: #INDvsCHI on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/024EzSafTB pic.twitter.com/CyJIe1OtKy— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2020
Robinson also lines up in the slot and isn’t strictly an outside receiver. In his career, 27.9% of his snaps have come out of the slot, according to PFF. That gives McVay and the coaching staff even more offense when they try to create mismatches, knowing how often they like to move their receivers around.
This release by Robinson shows his quick feet and route running when given a two-way go out of the slot.
This release from @AllenRobinson.
📺: #CHIvsATL on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/9RobDGGsOD pic.twitter.com/am1JFCJuhC— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2020
All this is to say it was a really good signing by the Rams. Robinson is exactly the type of receiver Los Angeles needed, giving Stafford a big, physical player outside to pair with Kupp and Woods/Jefferson.
There was nothing wrong with the Rams’ receiving corps before adding Robinson, but their wideouts were all kind of similar. At least Robinson is unique in his skill set and frame, which should make Stafford – who played with Calvin Johnson and Kenny Golladay – very happy.
If the Rams wind up trading Woods and recouping some valuable draft assets or a starting-caliber pass rusher, this deal with Robinson will look even better. But even as it stands now, it’s a great decision by the front office.
Grade: A-
