The Rams parted with a couple of key receivers that helped them significantly en route to a Super Bowl win in 2022.
Most notably, Odell Beckham Jr. remains a free agent as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered during Super Bowl 56. The more under-the-radar loss is that of Robert Woods, who served as the team’s No. 2 receiver during the regular season before suffering a torn ACL ahead of Week 10, just a day after the team signed Beckham.
Normally, the loss of two potential starting-caliber players would be a blow to a Super Bowl contender. However, the Rams landed a quality replacement at the position on the free-agent market: Allen Robinson.
Robinson signed a three-year, $46.5 million deal to join the Rams this offseason. The eight-year NFL veteran has split his time equally between the Jaguars and the Bears during his career. Despite his experience, Robinson is still just 29 and should be poised to serve as a good complement to Kupp and Van Jefferson for the next two or three years.
Why did Robinson elect to sign with the Rams? A few key factors had a major influence on the veteran during contract negotiations.
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Why Allen Robinson signed with the Rams
Robinson was focused on two things above all else when he made his decision to re-sign with the Rams: He wanted to take his talents to a team that has a strong culture and a history of recent, on-field success.
As Robinson explained at his introductory, post-signing news conference in March, he believes that Los Angeles checks both of those boxes.
It’s a special opportunity to be amongst this group. Just coming off a Super Bowl run, so being able to be a part of this is big. Going into this for me was being able to step into a great culture — being able to step into a great offense — and for me to continue to get better and expand who I am as a player.
Robinson’s focus on pushing himself to get better became a consistent theme throughout the offseason as well. He is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, which saw him post just 38 catches for 410 yards and a touchdown in 12 games.
He also believes that teaming up with Matthew Stafford will help him avoid another disappointing campaign. Robinson spoke glowingly of the 34-year-old quarterback and believed that the two would mesh well together.
“I’m excited,” Robinson said. “I’m seeing everything that Matt brings to the table across the board. He’s had a great career. So, me being able to team up with him and being able to get to work with him — it’s like I said before, my biggest thing is for me to be able to get everything that I can get out of myself and out of my game.”
It’s no surprise that Robinson would feel that way about working with Stafford. He hasn’t worked with many accomplished quarterbacks during his career in Jacksonville and Chicago.
Meanwhile, Stafford has consistently gotten the most out of his receivers from Calvin Johnson to Marvin Jones to Cooper Kupp over the years, as Robinson acknowledged after signing.
“Seeing all the receivers he’s played with and everything he’s been able to help his receivers accomplish … for me being able to kind of step into that and build that rapport, build that relationship, that’s what I’m looking forward to doing,” Robinson said, per the San Diego Tribune.
Certainly, that explains why Robinson felt it was “a no-brainer” for him to join the Rams during the offseason.
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Sean McVay’s thoughts on Allen Robinson
McVay has been a big fan of Robinson throughout the receiver’s tenure with the team to date. NBC’s Peter King wrote while doling out fantasy football advice that McVay “loves” Robinson, and it’s easy to see why.
McVay has given his new starting receiver rave reviews throughout the offseason. The sixth-year coach has been impressed by both Robinson’s performance and his demeanor during the offseason, per Rams Wire.
He’s a stud. I’ve been so impressed with just his overall professionalism day in and day out. He’s got a great way about himself.
As for what McVay likes about Robinson on the field, he is a fan of how he uses his 6-2, 220-pound frame to make plays.
“Locked in in the meetings and I think the first thing that stands out is the body control for a bigger receiver,” McVay explained. “I bet you he’s a baller on the basketball court. He’s wired to be able to double up and play underneath himself. Some of those bigger guys that play as big as he does typically don’t have the ability to get in and out of their breaks as seamlessly as he does. But I think his transition in and out of breaks and how smooth he is for how big he is, it’s been very exciting, and love getting to know him a little bit more.”
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That McVay is a big fan of Robinson should be expected. Just six months ago, he told Stafford and Kupp that he didn’t even think landing the receiver would be possible. The duo had approached him with the idea before free agency.
“We won’t be able to afford him, no f—ing way,” McVay told Albert Breer of The MMQB of his thoughts at that time.
However, Von Miller’s departure opened up the cap space the Rams needed to pursue Robinson. So McVay made an all-out effort to land Robinson as a long-term partner for Kupp.
“I was selling my f—ing balls off to this guy,” McVay explained.
It worked, and that’s why Robinson will be wearing blue and yellow during the 2022 NFL season.
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