The general consensus following the news of the Pittsburgh Steelers acquiring wide receiver Allen Robinson is that the trade was a win for the Steelers. On the Pat McAfee show today, the former Colts punter and current media personality said “all signs are pointing up for the Pittsburgh Steelers” after the trade.
Adam “Pacman” Jones, who spent most of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals and frequently appears on the show and still supports the Bengals, let out a four-letter expletive when asked his opinion on the trade.
“Unbelievable football player, especially when he’s healthy,” Jones said. “I have a lot of respect for A-Rob.”
Jones said he still doesn’t believe the Steelers will be able to outscore the Bengals, but there’s no question Pittsburgh’s offense has improved this offseason. The offensive line got stronger with the additions of Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig. Now adding a veteran receiver in Robinson only makes the unit stronger. Add in the expected progression of second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett and second-year wideout George Pickens in addition to the still-young wide receiver Diontae Johnson and tight end Pat Freiermuth, and Pittsburgh’s offense is going to be better in 2022.
The Robinson trade is a positive for Pittsburgh in the same way the Patrick Peterson deal was. Even if the on-field production is limited, adding a veteran leader to a young position group is going to bring out the best in the guys around him. But Robinson has shown he can produce when healthy, with multiple 1,000-yard seasons and the capability to play in the slot, which fills one of the Steelers’ biggest offensive holes. For just $5 million and having to move back a few spots in the seventh round, the trade was well worth it and will benefit the Steelers in a myriad of ways in 2023.
It also eliminates receiver as a need in the upcoming NFL Draft. That allows Pittsburgh to focus more on other needs, which include offensive tackle, secondary help and defensive line depth. It’s the definition of killing multiple birds with one stone. They fill a need a receiver and that will allow them to fill a variety of other needs cheaply next week.
Omar Khan’s first offseason as general manager is shaping up to be a success and moves like this are a big reason why. Taking a flier on a receiver in Robinson, who’s still young at 29, with a past history of success while eliminating a key need for not a big price is a major win. After trading Chase Claypool in-season for a pick that ended up being at the top of the second round, Khan’s receiver trade history sure looks pretty nice right now. Obviously, it’s an incredibly small sample size, but if Robinson is able to produce close to his pre-2021 form, this trade is going to go down as a huge win for Pittsburgh.
