Wide receiver Allen Robinson II wasn’t brought in to be the star. Not to be the top guy, the player QB Kenny Pickett looked for first whenever he dropped back. Robinson was traded over from the Los Angeles Rams to do the dirty work. Dig out the safety, make the underneath catch on third down, be a leader and mentor to a young receiver room. When you look at his numbers, 19 catches for barely more than eight yards per grab, it doesn’t look impressive. But to the Steelers, his impact goes beyond the box score.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, OC Matt Canada praised Robinson’s impact in doing the little things that help the team.
“Just a great player, great teammate, great everything,” Canada said in a transcript provided by the team. “Allen’s just been everything we could have asked for. He does whatever you ask. Blocks, run routes, leads. He’s been a huge asset for our offense and for our entire group in my opinion.”
The largest cost of acquiring Robinson was his contract. After just one year with the Rams, they dealt him for practically nothing while still paying a chunk of Robinson’s salary. For the Steelers, they were looking for a veteran slot receiver who could block and boost their running game. In 2022, they got little from Chase Claypool, dealt him away, and rolled with Steven Sims and Gunner Olszewski the rest of the season. Two guys who tried hard but didn’t make an impact in the ways the offense was looking for.
No one is rushing out to proclaim Robinson as the MVP of the Steelers’ offense — his numbers look closer to a running back or backup tight end — but he’s the rare receiver not concerned with glory or gaudy numbers. Maybe because he’s done that, made his plays, and gotten paid for it. After rocky experiences in Chicago and Los Angeles, he arrived in Pittsburgh looking for stability and the chance to win, never winning a postseason game he participated in (he was on IR during the Jaguars’ 2017 playoff run).
Following the George Pickens/social media story, it was Robinson who spoke to reporters, telling the media he has regular chats with him about how to handle adversity and the frustration of not getting the football. Mentor-level stuff Pittsburgh has lacked with young and changing receiver rooms.
Despite logging nearly 200 snaps over his last four games, Robinson has just two catches for 17 yards. Ultra-light production but both receptions have been impactful. Against the Los Angeles Rams, he caught a third-down pass late in the game that didn’t move the sticks but set up a 4th and inches, which Pittsburgh went for and converted. Two weeks later against Tennessee, he made a 10-yard snag on 3rd and 6 to prevent a Steelers three-and-out on their opening possession. The drive ended in a touchdown.
Over the last two weeks, Robinson’s impact in the running game has grown. Despite early-season struggles, he, like the rest of the ground attack, are finding their groove. On RB Jaylen Warren’s touchdown last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Robinson (and LG Isaac Seumalo) pulled and led the way to clear a second-level path for Warren, who did the rest.
Unless Robinson completely reworks his contract, the Steelers are almost certain to release him in the offseason. His 2024 base salary is far too high to justify him returning. And it’s fair to say Pittsburgh needs more receiving production from its slot receivers, something the team has been missing since JuJu Smith-Schuster left. But Robinson is a hand-in-the-pile guy playing a role that’s easy to overlook but providing important value for the Steelers.
