APRIL 19: This trade will go through. Robinson passed his Steelers physical Wednesday, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Pittsburgh will take on the final two years of Robinson’s contract, though the AFC North team is only responsible for a third of the veteran pass catcher’s 2023 money.
APRIL 18, 1:58pm: Should Robinson’s physical greenlight this trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes the Steelers are expected to pay $5MM of Robinson’s 2023 salary (Twitter link). Overall, the Rams still will end up paying Robinson $10.25MM in 2023.
As far as the trade compensation goes, Schefter adds the Steelers are sending the Rams a 2023 seventh-round pick (No. 234 overall) in exchange for Robinson and another 2023 seventh (No. 251). In exchange for the Steelers taking Robinson and eating $5MM of his deal, the Rams will move up 17 spots in this draft (Twitter link). Robinson’s physical is set for Wednesday.
12:16pm: The Rams have found a potential taker for Allen Robinson. The Steelers are near an agreement to acquire the veteran wide receiver, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Robinson is headed to Pittsburgh to take a physical with the Steelers; should the 10th-year pass catcher pass, the AFC North team is expected to pull the trigger on a trade. Two years remain on Robinson’s contract. The Rams have already paid Robinson $5.25MM of the $15MM guaranteed he is owed in 2023, via a March 19 roster bonus. While the Steelers are expected to pay some of the remaining $10MM owed, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), it sounds like the Rams will pick up part of the tab as well.
After a rough Rams debut, Robinson received permission to speak with teams about a trade. The Steelers, who have enjoyed extensive modern-era success in developing wide receivers, are in position to add the former Jaguars and Bears No. 1 wideout. Robinson is going into his age-30 season. Considering Robinson’s contract (three years, $46.5MM) and 2022 performance, it is unlikely the Steelers will give up much in trade compensation.
Not only did Robinson struggle last season, the 220-pound wideout finished the year as one of the many Rams starters on the shelf. He underwent surgery to repair a foot fracture late last year. In 10 games, Robinson caught 33 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns. That performance actually topped his 2021 work on a Bears franchise tag; Robinson managed just 38 grabs for 410 yards and one score in 12 games that year. The Rams made a bet on Robinson bouncing back, guaranteeing him $30MM via last year’s free agency accord. The move did not pay off.
The Steelers moved on from Chase Claypool at the deadline last year, acquiring what became the No. 32 overall pick from the Bears. Robinson is in position to join Diontae Johnson and George Pickens as Pittsburgh’s top wideouts. This move is a bit out of character for the Steelers, who have continually developed wideouts after Day 2 draft investments. Robinson is a former second-round pick, but the Jaguars made that selection in 2014.
Robinson’s last strong season came in 2020, when he helped the Bears to the playoffs as the top target on a team without much pass-catching depth. The 6-foot-2 receiver snagged a career-high 100 passes — from QBs Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles — and totaled 1,250 yards. Robinson, who is close to reuniting with Trubisky (under contract as Kenny Pickett‘s backup), topped that yardage total just once — a 1,400-yard year with the 2015 Jags. That season led the Bears to tag Robinson, after contentious extension talks, but he has not closely resembled his 2020 version since.
Both Von Miller‘s Bills defection and Odell Beckham Jr.‘s ACL tear led the Rams to Robinson last year — after the Eagles were in pursuit — but he is close to joining OBJ in the AFC North. The Rams still roster Van Jefferson as a Cooper Kupp sidekick, but former second-round pick Tutu Atwell has not done much to distinguish himself as a pro. Ben Skowronek also remains on Los Angeles’ roster. The Rams, who have prioritized cost-cutting moves this offseason, have not made a notable addition at the position this year.
No guarantees are present in Robinson’s deal for the 2024 season, making 2023 — should the Michigan alum pass the upcoming physical — a Pittsburgh audition of sorts. The Steelers have been rumored, per usual, as interested in a mid-round receiver investment. They have made eight second- or third-round picks at the receiver position over the past 10 years. Robinson may impact those plans, as the team also used a fourth-round selection on slot player Calvin Austin III last year. Austin spent all of last season on IR.
If a deal happens, it’s gotta be for a late round pick swap, no?
pretty awesome receiving core if they keep dionte..
even if they don’t, this draft I deep with guys like Josh Downs and Jalin Hyatt etc.
didn’t mean for that to be a response , but not sure what the return will be.. hard to evaluate with such little time remaining and top money left on his deal.
hopefully nothing major tho
I’m a big fan of Hyatt. Would love to see some length on the outside though too
This move means nothing for Diontae… He’s going to be a Steeler all of 2023. Undoubtedly.
That or a 2024 pick
if I’m Kahn I didn’t the two 7ths and leave early
Looks like you nailed it. A 7th for a 7th and Robinson.
makes sense lol given the lack of day 3 picks, leave early and get a jump start on UDFAs
woop nvm.. 7th round pick swap.
steelers gave up nothing lol
Anything more than 6M and a 5th rounder is a massive overpay…
they don’t have a 5th rounder
They do in 2024…. Never stated a year.
I can remember thinking the guy was going to be a decent pro but he certainly hasn’t panned out and that’s noteworthy, given LA’s pass-happy offense. Hope the Steelers can turn him around but it’s somewhat odd that they let Sims go, a guy who seemed to have a lot of upside as a receiver and returner, and padded the receiving corps with a guy who hasn’t shown much
nah I’m tired of the fridge guys at slot.
happy they got their set of reliable hands underneath. great role for ARob
I dunno, Goku. They already have Anthony Miller and this is a preseason in which expectations for him are higher. They have Austin coming back, too
Hope you’re right.
I don’t see much more than limited roles for those guys .. and if they show something , then have expanded roles in 24 with dionte and ARob both free agents.
Penn State alum actually…coming back to try and re-capture some of that ole’ magic! Worth the shot, especially at a reduced cost!
Good correction/catch but he is a Michigan native having attended high school in the area.
This seems more like the Rams trying to get anything they could and Pittsburgh saying “sure, why not?” I doubt that the Steelers give up much. If Robinson was to be moved for a decent pick, it would have happened a while ago. His contract hasn’t changed and there haven’t been any notable changes in anything as we approach the draft, except the Rams getting more desperate to add picks (oh my, how unexpected).
Robinson is pretty unpredictable at this point in terms of how many games he will play and how he will look after two injury shortened seasons, but he won’t be the WR1 in all likelihood in Pittsburgh(or, at least, won’t be expected to be). I actually am of the opinion that the new class of WRs is actually a bit underwhelming. Most of them have had quite a few drops in their careers. That’s not to say that they’ll all be bad; I just don’t think that the highest tier are as sure things as the typical top level usually is. Robinson could offer some insurance in case the Steelers aren’t totally sold themselves, and Pittsburgh’s past hesitation in giving Johnson a long term deal could be a contributing factor to acquiring Robinson-if he works out. Still, you’d think that the Steelers will pick a WR with lower level selection if one falls in their lap. Would that player, assuming he is successful, be a replacement for Johnson or Robinson? Time will tell.
actually seems hard to fit a day 2 WR on the depth chart now (assuming there’s no reason ARob wouldn’t make the team)
with 5 picks they have to address OT, CB, OLB, ILB
so WR is definitely a luxury pick and could easily go DT or center there to come out with needed size.
maybe WR round 7 with the Rams pick
eh while last year was stacked at WR, I think this class is pretty normal.
I think the difference is not as many teams need WR now.
but think QJ, JSN, Zay Flowers, & JA is just as good as any top bunch.
I agree, but at the same time, it still feels like Pittsburgh isn’t super committed to Johnson. True, that was Colbert’s regime, but the hesitation in giving him a longer deal after those down seasons offensively makes me think that they’re looking for a longer term WR to go with Pickens. I don’t think Robinson will be that guy, even if he plays well, as he’s thirty years old now. If someone falls to them that they like, I think they’d take him and try to make it work, even if the roster is a bit crowded.
ya odd situation having 2 recievers on contract years.
The drops are one thing but although I may be wrong, sure seems like he pouts when he is either not thrown the ball or he is under or overthrown. A lot is made of the Steelers being the place where receivers come of age and flourish going all the way back to the glory era of Swann and Stallworth but I’m not sure he’s in that mood as a solid #1.
Love the upside of Pickens and going from the highlight reels, Austin looks like one helluva speed merchant, but the jury is still out on Johnson despite the contract
Makes this trade even more mysterious
Now you have two vets who haven’t had good seasons since 2020 and who’ve spent a goodly amount of time on the sidelines.
I’m hoping that even though the geniuses don’t see this as a good draft for receivers, they don’t close the door on adding a guy with promise and potential
In 2021 Johnson went 107/1161/8… I mean if that doesn’t constitute a good season for you I’m not sure what will. Even with 0 TDs he still went 86/882. The lack of TD’s aren’t entirely the receivers fault when the QB has 7 in 13 games… I’m just not sure what more fans want out of DJ. He’s not AB, but he is more than just some scrub…
Yeah, you’re right. The stats don’t lie. And I forgot the biggest negative in all of this, whether it is player frustrations or actual performance: an inept offensive coordinator who rarely allowed his QB to throw downfield
Thanks for the cold slap of reality
That’s the true root of the issue, for now. Once they actually let Pickett loose, we should be able to tell if he’s up to the task or not. That’s also still up in the air though.
just depends on what positional depth they’d have yo sacrifice to make that pick
The Steelers were at least wise enough to stay well clear of the OBJ sweepstakes.
Did I misread or misunderstand..? Pittsburgh is getting a 7th back for “eating” $5 mil..?
Uh, the Rams are forking over $10 mil to send him away. That seems like the eating part to me.
Yeah this is wild for all those other teams who overpaid for receiving in free agency. Like this over lazard
Steelers fan here and I would take Lazard over Robinson every day and twice on Sundays. Expecting very little to be honest.
Low risk, but I am skeptical he’ll even be worth the $5M…
just need ARob to catch the easy stuff on 3rd down.
and idk why this guys low Lazard, dude is an insane athlete and in his prime
Yeah, I’m not sure he has much in the tank at this point, but on paper he does actually fit what they need pretty well. If he can stay healthy.
Hopefully he has a chip on his shoulder. He was a big disappointment in LA.
I tend to think that like Miller, this is a lot of scrap. I’ve been listening to the pundits talk about how receivers in this draft are largely unimpressive. Yeah, ok
But beyond Pickens, Johnson and hopefully Austin, there’s not a great deal here other than depth
Here’s a guy whose best season was in 2020, like Miller. It might as well be ancient history
I guess the point is that I generally liked what they did in free agency but you can’t tell me they addressed the D-line or with quality depth at receiver. Instead, you have a couple guys who haven’t played
depends on what they think of Leal in year 2
I like the Feheko and Watts pickups only because it resolves the need to reach for a guy like Ika in the draft.
seems Weidl has always valued rotational depth on the Dline tho
I largely agree. Replacement level depth. In the case of Robinson…expensive depth.
But, in a weak FA year for WRs, it’s not a bad add. They have a big slot and a little slot now. Don’t NEED to draft a WR if a better player is on the board in Rd 3 or 4.
Am I wrong to think that if everyone was healthy then Robinson starts as the slot receiver. But if Johnson or Pickens goes down then he replaces them and Austin III steps into the slot?
I don’t think we could find a mid-level round WR to do that. So for $5m we bought some certainty. As long as he’s healthy of course but every team needs 6 receivers to get through the season don’t they?
Johnson seems to fit better in the slot, although a 6’2” 225lbs or so receiver undercutting the middle and catching slants or what not would be a huge boon for a QB. I suppose it depends on the state of Robinson’s health. Acting as the third or slot receiver instead of an exclusive WR2 on the outside (outside receiver being Robinson’s “truer” fit) could reduce his snaps and allow him to be more effective. If Robinson’s health is satisfactory and he’s still in his best shape, then having him outside and Johnson in the slot could offer great options for Pickett. I’d imagine that they’ll move them both around at the end of the day.
Curious pick up for the Steelers and yeah, I understand that it’s a low risk deal but any money out of their pocket is problematic
A lot of people here are lauding the addition but with Austin here and again, with Miller apparently healthy, maybe this means the end of Gunner. After all, you still have him, Boykin and even Cody White on the roster
I guess this means you can X-out Addison as a potential 1st round pick
It’s going to be an interesting draft
Boykin is a FA, but they should bring him back.
They need a PR/KR still is the issue.
Haha, this woulda been newsworthy 3 years ago. Dude is toast.
Johnson Robinson Pickens Austin that’s a solid reviving core, Harris is a beast at RB, the Steelers are literally the definition of being a QB away from competitive. No championship calibre but competitive for sure.
You forgot Freiermuth and a solid back up running back in Warren, but ok
I have high hopes for Pickett and applauded the selection. I do think he’s going to be a solid QB
But unless the offensive coordinator wakes up, all of the weapons you mentioned will be part of a dink and dunk, jet sweep offense that is good for 14-17 points a game
On the surface it sounds pretty ridiculous to get that little back for a player with his ability even after eating two-thirds of what he’s owed, but since this year’s fully guaranteed, it only could have been offset by the league minimum if they released him.
Just a heads up, the Dianna Russini tweet is really a Brady Henderson tweet from a week ago.
Rams paying 10 mil for a 7th pick swap? Wow. Gotta be a fire sale down there cause that’s highway robbery for the Steelers. Can’t get much better than playing Robinson 5 mil and bet his one year on a bad team is all it was.
I’m reading that the Rams have over $72 million in dead money this year against their cap. That is 1/3 of their total cap in dead money. They also have the fewest players on their roster in the league. Might as well get as much of the dead money dealt with this year as possible, I suppose!