The Pittsburgh Steelers are continuing their slew of roster moves by officially releasing Allen Robinson II in a much anticipated move. He showed his age in a not so productive 2023 season, and his release proves that his veteran presence in the locker room was not enough of a reason for the Steelers to hold on to his big contract. The move officially puts the Steelers in the market for a starting-caliber third wide receiver, whether it be through free agency or the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Steelers acquired Robinson II from the Los Angeles Rams during the 2023 offseason, in a deal where the Steelers got the pass-catcher and the two organizations swapped seventh round picks for the 2023 NFL Draft. Robinson II was the Steelers third wide receiver (on the depth chart) during the 2023 season, behind George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. He had a pretty unproductive year, catching just 34 passes. It was obvious the Steelers would release him to free up cap space, and the move become official on Friday.
The Steelers will still owe nearly $2 million in guaranteed money to Robinson II, but the move saves the organization nearly $13 million in 2024 cap space. Robinson II was coming off of an injury he suffered during the 2022 season with the Rams, and was 30 years old during the 2023 season. These are two factors that certainly attributed to his lack of production in Pittsburgh.
Both the Steelers front office and Robinson II and his team of managers and agents tried to come to an agreement to keep his release from happening, but the two sides were unable to make any headway on a new and revised deal. The Steelers valued Robinson's veteran leadership in their wide receiver room, especially with two outgoing and younger receivers like Pickens and Johnson. Ultimately, Robinson's value on the field did not equal what the Steelers were set to pay him in 2024, and he is now free to find a new home in free agency.
Robinson II tallied his lowest receiving total in his career with just 280 yards during the 2023 season, aside from 2017 when he got hurt in the first game of the season when he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a non-factor with the ball in his hands after the catch for the Steelers. Robinson II was never able to find the end zone while wearing the black and gold, however he did have the highest catch percentage on the team out of all the receivers.
Steelers Will Make Finding A Third Receiver A Priority
Pittsburgh is now in desperate need of finding a receiver, or two, that can be inserted into a starting role. After the release of Robinson II, the next man up behind Pickens and Johnson is Calvin Austin III who struggled at times in 2023 when he was on the field as a true receiver. Pittsburgh has shown interest in some receivers who will be in the 2024 NFL Draft, including one of the top prospects in Rome Odunze.
More must-reads: