Player: ILB Mark Robinson
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: The third-year linebacker likely lost any shot at a starting job this year when the Steelers signed Patrick Queen. A former seventh-round draft pick, Robinson always had the odds stacked against him, but fans always love an underdog. Still, his ultimate spot in the pecking order hinges on the health of Cole Holcomb.
Teryl Austin disappointed a lot of fans last year when he basically said Mark Robinson wouldn’t have a chance of starting until at least 2024. Well, 2024 is here and the Steelers just spent $41 million on a linebacker. That’s about 20 times what Robinson is earning over the next two years.
Robinson is the classic underdog tale. A former seventh-round pick who is talented but raw, fans saw potential in him to rise above his pedigree. He converted from running back to linebacker at the end of his college career, so he’s still learning on the job.
But he still has to prove that he’s capable of starting before the Steelers seriously entertain the notion. Signing Patrick Queen is perhaps an indication of the obvious, that they don’t feel he’s proven anything. He has nearly 200 defensive snaps to his name, but he largely hasn’t distinguished himself.
Robinson is a thumper who can lay down the big hit, but he lacks discipline and awareness. Those are harder to master than the athletic and mechanical skills necessary to play the position. He’s certainly not going to play over Queen, and, well, Elandon Roberts is who the Steelers want him to be.
With that said, he could, in theory, develop into a more athletic Roberts-type player. The obstacle there is the fact that Roberts is a very cerebral player even if he’s knocked for his athleticism. That’s why I don’t see Robinson playing over the veteran any time soon, except in isolated instances.
Then there’s the Cole Holcomb factor. Holcomb is the second-best linebacker on the roster if he can get healthy again. If he returns, Robinson falls back to fourth at best on the depth chart. And there’s a good chance the Steelers add a Day 3 linebacker in the upcoming draft, perhaps even one on Day 2. In other words, expect Robinson to see a lot of work on special teams again.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
