Why Allen Robinson can fill Robert Woods' big shoes for Los Angeles Rams

Rams general manager Les Snead made a gutsy move in free agency, shaking up a dependable receiving corps by replacing Robert Woods with Allen Robinson, the former Chicago Bear. 

Woods was traded to the Tennessee Titans after a midseason left ACL injury ended his 2021 campaign after just nine games. While there was a path to bringing Woods back, Snead chose to avoid paying him, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham each over $12 million. (Beckham is a free agent.) Snead anticipated Robinson, who signed a three-year $46.5 million deal, sustaining Woods’ pre-injury production.  

Woods shined in his role as WR2 in five seasons with the Rams, averaging 132 targets per season. After reeling in 90 receptions in 2019 and 2020, he was on pace to eclipse that career high during his first year playing with QB Matthew Stafford before his injury. 

The key to Woods’ production was his efficiency; he boasted a 1.3 percent drop rate over the past five seasons (tied for sixth lowest among receivers with at least 200 targets). If you throw Woods the football. he will catch it. 

His noteworthy receiving numbers overshadow his outstanding numbers on the ground, as the Rams constantly used Woods in jet sweep motions to keep defenses on their heels. He tallied 157, 115 and 155 yards on the ground in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons, respectively.

Do not expect Robinson to provide that rushing production. For his career, Robinson has 10 rushing yards.

What Robinson can do, however, is make plays in the air. He beat man coverage at a top 5 percent rate in 2021 despite recording career-lows in targets and receptions. Stafford, on the other hand, was the best quarterback in the league when facing man coverage, according to advanced stats. 

Rams coach Sean McVay probably can't wait to see Robinson on the receiving end of Stafford dimes. 

Woods and Robinson are on two different ends of the spectrum—one is a speedy gunner who piles on yards after the catch, while the other is always a physical, one-on-one aerial threat. 

Robinson may not be able to sustain Woods’ impressive offensive production, but he changes the landscape of this Rams' offense, adding another red-zone threat next to Kupp and another option for Stafford during a scramble drill. 

The reigning Super Bowl champions may have just become even deadlier.