Allen Robinson signing gives LA Rams time for IR’d WRs

The LA Rams are never splashy when it comes to this time of the NFL year. With that being said, the Rams Free Agency got off to a bit of a shaky start in the first 72 hours of its arrival. For starters, the LA Rams lost two key members of their offensive line, with OG Austin Corbett signing with the Carolina Panthers and OT Andrew Whitworth retiring.  They were dealt another big blow on the first official day of free agency when the Buffalo Bills signed veteran outside linebacker Von Miller to a megadeal.

That is not to say that the front office was hapless so far. The team extended three integral offensive linemen in OT Joseph Noteboom, OC Brian Allen, and IOL Coleman Shelton. The team then pivoted to extend Qualifying Tender Offers to both K Matt Gay and ILB Travin Howard. But it’s easy to overlook the candles that the organization has managed to reignite, with those headlights of not signing Von Miller continues to blind us.

But the LA Rams front office is not one to cower nor flee. They act quickly, and the silver lining to this story is that the money originally set aside for Von Miller has enabled the team to go in another direction. An offensive weapon type of direction.

Rams Free Agency solution? Receiver Allen Robinson

Enter FA WR Allen Robinson, who agreed to terms with the LA Rams. He will join the likes of WR Cooper Kupp, WR Robert Woods, and arguably the best group of receivers in football.  It was not as big of a surprise to me as to others, as I pointed out his fit for the offense in a recent article.

Of course, not everyone was receptive to the concept that the Rams offense was counting on the healthy and complete recovery of two-thirds of their projected starting trio in 2022. It was a little too real, too close to home, and some responded with challenges to my sobriety, intelligence, or even motivation.  It was never about clicks or views.

Rather, it was an obvious and predictable serious challenge facing the offense that needed to be addressed. Both WR Robert Woods and the anticipated return of WR Odell Beckham Jr. means that two key receivers would be recovering from a major knee injury simultaneously, That’s a lot of assumed risk for the roster. The Rams front office clearly agreed and signed Robinson to an impressive three-year deal.

What does Robinson give the Rams?

This addition to the Rams roster will give quite a bit of firepower on the offensive side of the ball. But this does not feel like the one-and-done signing of FA WR DeSean Jackson a year ago.  The offensive line depth, having lost two starters already, feels light. For now, the consensus is that OT Joseph Noteboom’s new deal pays for a starting left tackle. With OC Brian Allen extended, the return of IOL Coleman Shelton likely means that he will be aimed to start at the right guard role.

The defense has also been hard hit, losing three starters and two solid rotational players as well.  There are some options available via free agency but there is also some incredible and deep talent that will be available come the 2022 NFL Draft.

Robinson coming to the LA Rams gives them two legitimate and healthy receivers at the top of their depth chart.  Robinson is versatile, dependable, and is a great fit for what the LA Rams like to do on offense. What about speed?

Much like Van Jefferson, he can fly down the field when asked to do so.

Time to heal

That is great news because it allows them time to ease Woods back into the lineup as he continues to recover from the torn ACL. If you recall, he injured his ACL mid-season, and it ended his 2021 season prematurely.  Reports who cite team sources state that the team still wants OBJ back, but hopes for a team-friendly deal may not be progressing quite as team-friendly. After all, nobody is the bad-guy in these negotiations right now.

Who can set a date with any certainty about his return when medical professionals have given it a range from mid-November (optimistic) to after the season is over (very pessimistic)?

The team has said they hope to still resign him and if they do, that is simply icing on the cake. Can you imagine the LA Rams coming out with an empty backfield and featuring four receivers, Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, Robert Woods, and Odell Beckham Jr.? Set QB Matthew Stafford under center, take the snap, and wait for it…
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Touchdown