The Los Angeles Rams moved on from yet another pricey veteran this week, trading Allen Robinson to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a seventh-round pick swap. The Rams ate $21.45 million in dead money to make it happen, $3.4 million more than it would’ve cost them to keep him on the roster.
Obviously, the return for their prized free-agent signing from 2021 was minimal, and it’s not as if they saved money this year. However, they will save $18.55 million in cap space by trading Robinson now.
Here’s how experts around the internet graded the trade for the Rams.
Our grade: D
This was not a good move at all for the Rams, one out of desperation to hopefully rebuild in 2024 and become competitive again. Robinson wasn’t impactful last season, there’s no denying that, but the Rams also paid more to get rid of him than they would have to keep him on the roster.
The lone benefit of this trade is that the Rams cleared $18.55 million off the books next year, which is when Los Angeles really plans to do some damage. But for now, the Rams are not a better team now than they were before making this trade.
ESPN: B
Seth Walder: “For the Rams, shedding veteran salary makes sense in a year when they seem unlikely to contend, particularly in the case of Robinson, who proved ineffective in Sean McVay’s offense. But it is another reminder — as was the Jalen Ramsey trade — that this is a team that could (or should, in my opinion) also trade away Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp (as I wrote in the Ramsey trade section), either this offseason or during the season.”
CBS Sports: F
Tyler Sullivan: “This has been one of the worst signings in recent memory by the franchise. Robinson was limited to just 10 games in an injury-filled season for the Rams in 2022 and will be paid $25.75 million in cash for this brief tenure. While you can commend a team for cutting its losses, essentially paying two thirds of Robinson’s guaranteed money for 2023 to only move up 17 spots in the seventh round isn’t exactly the type of return you get excited about.”
Pro Football Network: B+
Dallas Robinson: “The decision to trade Robinson only further cements the idea that the Rams are not intending to compete in 2023. The Rams’ wide receiver depth chart is nearly as barren as the Steelers’ after Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson, while Aaron Donald might be the only name that casual fans would recognize on the defensive side of the ball.”
Clutch Points: D
Tim Capurso: “With basically no market developing for Allen Robinson, the Rams really had no choice but to take this offer from the Steelers.
Los Angeles, who signed the veteran wideout to a three-year, $46 million contract last offseason, got 339 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 10 games from Robinson, who ended the year on injured reserve.”
