Allen Robinson is on the move. The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to trade the veteran wide receiver to the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media. The deal is contingent on Robinson passing a physical with the Steelers.
Let’s grade the Robinson trade as the Steelers build around their young quarterback, and the Rams keep purging veterans.
Grading the Allen Robinson Trade
Robinson will only cost Pittsburgh a swap of seventh-round picks. The Rams will send Robinson and pick No. 251 to the Steelers in exchange for pick No. 234, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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Robinson is due $15.25 million in guaranteed money this season, but the Rams have already paid his $5.25 million roster bonus. Schefter reports the L.A. and Pittsburgh will each assume $5 million of Robinson’s $10 million base salary.
Steelers Take a Chance on a Fading Veteran
Maximizing a rookie quarterback contract window is the gold standard for NFL teams, so it makes sense that the Steelers want to give 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett another receiving option as he heads into his second pro campaign.
After sending Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears at last year’s trade deadline, Pittsburgh’s wide receiving depth chart is incredibly thin. Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are the headliners, but the group is lacking beyond that duo.
Calvin Austin III, the Steelers’ fourth-round pick in 2022 who spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve, is currently projected as the team’s WR3. Behind him is a gang of pass catchers with little NFL experience, including Gunner Olszewski, Anthony Miller, and Dez Fitzpatrick.
And the Steelers are hardly giving up anything to acquire Robinson. With minimal draft compensation headed back to Los Angeles and the Rams picking up the majority of his 2023 compensation, there’s little risk here for Pittsburgh.
And yet, I’m not sure if acquiring Robinson helps the Steelers rise up the AFC ranks in any capacity.
Robinson will turn 30 years old before the 2023 season gets underway. He hasn’t completed a full slate of games or topped 410 receiving yards since 2020. Robinson ranked as a bottom-five receiver in yards per route run in 2022 and finished within the bottom quartile of NFL WRs in 2021.
While Robinson has dealt with his fair share of poor quarterback play throughout his career, there are enough warning signs to be concerned about his potential production in Pittsburgh. He might become what Bill Parcells used to refer to as a “progress-stopper,” soaking up playing time while a developmental player like Austin sits on the bench.
Adding Robinson isn’t a long-term proposition for the Steelers, as they’ll be able to release him next offseason with no dead money attached. But it still rates as an uninspired move, especially if it means Pittsburgh doesn’t add another young pass catcher early in next week’s draft.
Grade: C
Rams Move on From a Sunk Cost
Robinson was supposed to be the finishing touch of the Rams’ offense when they signed him to a three-year, $46.5 million deal last offseason, but he was anything but. Having already traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins earlier this year, it made sense for Los Angeles to move on from as many veterans as possible.
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.
The concept of a complete teardown just a year and change after winning a Super Bowl is a bit jarring, but the Rams’ idea to rip the Band-Aid completely off is respectable. I don’t think you’d find many NFL teams willing to transform their roster — for the worse — in such a manner.
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After spending years trading early draft capital for veterans in win-now trades, L.A. is now hoarding as many draft selections as it can. While the Rams don’t have a 2023 first-round pick as a result of the Matthew Stafford trade, they own 12 selections following the Robinson trade.
For now, Los Angeles will have to rely on hitting on late-round selections. Only three of the Rams’ 2023 choices will come in the third round or earlier, with the rest falling after pick No. 167 in the fifth round. L.A. has demonstrated an ability to find late-round contributors, but it’s unclear if that’s an actual skill or simple luck.
Losing Robinson won’t make a material difference for the Rams’ 2023 results, but the team’s strategy of taking its lumps and then restarting from square one should be applauded.
Grade: B+