In terms of adding people who are going to be catching footballs this year, the Pittsburgh Steelers arguably didn’t do a ton in that area. Rookie third-round tight end Darnell Washington figures to be a blocker first, for example, with the hope of a high upside as a receiving threat down the line.
Really, their one significant pass-catching contribution in 2023 came via the trade for wide receiver Allen Robinson II, the veteran who is expected to step right into the slot receiver role that the Steelers vacated with the trade of Chase Claypool last season.
Coming off of a season-ending foot injury last year with the Los Angeles Rams, Robinson had to work his way up to participation during spring drills, but he has gotten himself going now ahead of training camp. His teammates are taking notice with cornerback Patrick Peterson saying on his All Things Covered podcast with Bryant McFadden that “Allen Robinson’s been looking great”.
A former second-round draft pick out of Penn State, Robinson has been a Pro Bowler or Pro Bowl-adjacent at different points in his career, though he is a couple years removed from his last really solid season at this point—injuries and quality of quarterback performance playing a role in that.
Many believe that he is better positioned to contribute in Pittsburgh’s offense, even as the third receiving threat at the position after Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, provided at least that he stays healthy and on the field.
Things did not work out last season with the Rams, in large part because he and quarterback Matthew Stafford were rarely either healthy or on the same page simultaneously. Stafford was overcoming a shoulder issue during the offseason and didn’t throw, so could not establish a chemistry with the new target, relying on his familiar weapons. Just as things were starting to turn the corner, Robinson went down with his foot injury. But he’s looking ready now.
“To see him getting back into the thick of things, obviously dealing with some injuries last year with the Rams, didn’t have the season that he wanted to have”, Peterson said, surely having spent some time covering him, “seeing him out on the field, he’s been moving around great”.
While he is now back healthy, the veteran, who has been down the injury road before, talked about recovery being a two-part step. You have to get your body right first, and then you have to get your game right. That’s the project he has to undertake in Latrobe, but at this point in his career, there’s no reason to think he should be behind.
One imagines Kenny Pickett will be quite eager to work on whatever his targets need to work on, because he’s got his own progress to consider. Having a good working and on-field relationship with guys like Robinson is going to be the way to do it.
While Robinson has mostly played on the outside during his career, he has the skill set to move inside on a full-time basis, with a good understanding of finding the open spaces and embracing the physicality that comes with playing over the middle at times. If he can contribute 500-plus yards with a handful of touchdowns and maybe 8-10 conversions on possession downs, he’ll have been well worth the investment.
