https://theathletic.com/4279844/2023/03/06/allen-robinson-trade-rams/
The Rams have given veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson permission to seek a trade, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. Here’s what you need to know:
Robinson is in the middle of a three-year, $46.5 million contract (signed last spring) that comes with $15.2 million guaranteed in 2023.
The Rams will likely need to eat some of Robinson’s 2023 salary to make a trade viable, an option they have discussed in recent weeks.
Robinson, 29, had 33 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games before undergoing season-ending foot surgery in 2022.
Backstory
Los Angeles will incur $11.2 million in dead cap money if they trade Robinson before June 1. The Rams have worked “sliding scale” trades in previous moves, in which the amount of salary the team absorbs is determined by the number/level of picks. This would be the case with Robinson.
The Rams signed him in March 2022 after he recorded 38 receptions, 410 yards and one touchdown in 2021 with a Chicago Bears that went 6-11. However, Robinson and the Rams’ plan to get his career back on track didn’t work out as hoped. Robinson suffered a stress fracture in his foot ahead of Week 12 and he missed the rest of the season. He underwent minor foot surgery and is expected to be clear for phase two of OTAs.
Robinson’s disappointing time in L.A.
Permission to seek a trade is a long way away from the vision sold to Robinson by the Rams last spring, when they outlined a workload to him indicative of a true No. 2 receiver in their last-second rush to sign him after losing out on Von Miller in free agency.
Robinson just hasn’t panned out for a number of reasons, inclusive to his designed role, no real throwing time with quarterback Matthew Stafford (who nursed an elbow injury into training camp) and a skill set that didn’t actually fit with what the Rams had hoped. Stafford’s previous timing/relationship with Cooper Kupp also factored in as Kupp ultimately occupied almost 40 percent of the offensive target share. — Rodrigue