For the balance of his NFL career, Demarcus Robinson has been a role player in the Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver room. The 26-year-old is ready to put more on his plate in 2021.
Joining NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Thursday, Robinson said he expects a more prominent role this season with Sammy Watkins no longer in K.C.
"Every other season, it's (been) four, five touchdowns, 500 yards," Robinson said of his previous production. "I just think it picks up a little bit more right now. I'm looking for the opportunity -- not for them to give me the opportunity -- but go in there and take the opportunity. Go in there and show that I am a guy who can put up 1,000 yards a year and 10 touchdowns. I'm ready to make that happen. They said they've got something in store for me. I'm ready to show them."
Robinson re-signed in Kansas City this offseason to another one-year contract. He'll rejoin a WR room with Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman and Byron Pringle.
The former fourth-round pick said he had another offer from the Detroit Lions that could have brought a bigger role in a WR corps that saw Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones leave in free agency. He chose to return to K.C. because he felt like there was an opportunity for increased production with Patrick Mahomes.
"I chose the Chiefs because of my family, the culture, just talking with everybody, seeing what would best fit me," he noted. "I had another team, it was Detroit, that was also looking at me. And the Chiefs just wanted me more at the time."
Sidenote: The Lions' interest in Robinson underscores Detroit's new GM Brad Holmes keying on adding speed to its WR group this offseason.
Robinson is coming off a season in which he caught a career-high 45 passes for 466 yards and three TDs. In his five seasons with the Chiefs, he's totaled 120 catches for 1,415 yards and 11 scores. Nearly matching those totals in one season -- as is his stated goal -- would be a massive leap. With Hill and Travis Kelce the top targets, Robinson continues to project as a depth player with the potential to explode for a game or two.
Robinson believes there is an opportunity in Kansas City to make a leap that big.
"It was a big decision, just seeing what I could do," said of his return. "Seeing what they saw in me for my role next year, and without Sammy being there, they said it'll pick up a lot more. And they got a lot of things in store for me. I'm ready to go back to work and see what they got going for me."
The Chiefs have been suitors for wideouts throughout the offseason, including being in on the bidding for JuJu Smith-Schuster before re-signing Robinson. If K.C. doesn't add a wideout early in the draft -- a distinct possibility given its interest in the free-agent market -- Robinson should enter the season with a chance to have his best year as a pro in an offense he knows well.