Allen Robinson has been viewed as a really good wide receiver for some time, but he’s never quite made that jump into the top tier at his position. He’s more than capable of doing so, but his quarterbacks and the offenses he’s played in have made that difficult.
Now a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Robinson could be in for one of his best seasons ever. He’s a bigger receiver who can make plays down the field thanks to his athleticism and leaping ability, but Robinson’s route running is underrated.
Offensive coordinator Liam Coen says Robinson’s route tree is “extremely expanded” compared to years ago, noting that he can run a lot of the routes that Cooper Kupp can.
“I think his route tree is extremely expanded from probably years ago, or maybe what we’ve had our other receivers do,” Coen said during Rams minicamp. “I mean, he can run a lot of routes that Cooper can, you know – some of those option routes and choice routes and things that we asked Cooper to do – because he just has an unbelievable ability to play underneath, himself.”
Part of the appeal with Robinson was his size and ability to come down with contested catches, two things the Rams wanted to add to their offense this offseason. But Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford and Kupp have all noted Robinson’s nuance in his route running, as well as his position flexibility, being able to line up in the slot and outside.
Having Robinson and Kupp in the same offense will give Stafford plenty of options when dropping back to throw, and the fact that they can line up pretty much anywhere gives McVay even more possibilities.
