What was the Rams’ best move of the offseason?
Complacent is not a word that exists in the dictionary for the Los Angeles Rams, especially with Sean McVay and Les Snead steering the ship. Even after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl this past season, the Rams made a couple of splashy moves this offseason in hopes of defending their title as champions.
On the defensive side of the ball, Los Angeles brought in a familiar face in Bobby Wagner to strengthen the middle of their defense, pairing him with an up-and-coming linebacker in Ernest Jones. Meanwhile, the Rams opted to trade Robert Woods after they signed Allen Robinson in free agency.
When breaking down and dissecting each team’s best offseason move, PFF’s Brad Spielberger iterated that the Rams’ best move was inking a deal with Robinson. So what makes Robinson the team’s best move ahead of the 2022 campaign?
As Spielberger mentioned, the Rams signed Robinson to a three-year deal worth $46.5 million. Los Angeles is clearly banking on Robinson to bounce back after a dreadful 2021 season where he recorded career lows in receptions (38), receiving yards (410), and touchdowns (1).
Besides having the best quarterback he’s ever had in his career in Matthew Stafford, Robinson gets an opportunity to play alongside Cooper Kupp. Kupp should command the majority of the attention of defenses, allowing Robinson to get more one-on-one matchups.
We’ve seen the Rams excel with multiple wide receivers being effective in the offense since McVay arrived. Kupp and Woods were a dynamic duo for years, Brandin Cooks formed a lethal trio alongside Kupp and Woods in 2018 (and part of 2019), and we witnessed Odell Beckham Jr. prove he’s still an electric wideout alongside Kupp in 2021 amid Woods’ absence due to injury.
What Robinson gives the Rams is a downfield threat who has proven to succeed in making contested catches. His ability to come down with passes over defenders should make him a perfect fit for Stafford, who tends to make aggressive throws down the field.
Also, Robinson’s route-running ability is an underrated part of his game. Despite being known for converting contested catches, Robinson can create separation with ease, making him someone that Stafford could form a nice rapport with, especially in the red zone.
With Beckham nursing a torn ACL he sustained in the Super Bowl — and his future in Los Angeles undetermined — signing Robinson was a wise move for the Rams, putting him in an offense that already features Kupp, Van Jefferson, and Cam Akers. While the wide receiver position wasn’t necessarily a glaring need for Los Angeles, bringing in Robinson could take the offense of the Rams to another level in 2022.
