An all-star wideout whose production and skills have often been lost amid the struggles of his teams, Allen Robinson finally finds himself in a prime position for success entering his ninth NFL season.
Set to play for the third franchise and fourth head coach of his career, Robinson has joined the reigning Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams and believes he's poised for his greatest season yet -- which is a sizable statement considering his resume.
"Coach [Sean] McVay and the offense that he's put together and offense that these guys run, it's been a top offense in the league for a reason," Robinson said earlier this week, via the Rams' team website's Stu Jackson. "I truly believe that it'll bring the best out of me, and I'll be able to display all the elements of my game."
Robinson, a one-time Pro Bowler previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars, was a key factor for an abundance of promise within the Chicago Bears franchise back in 2018. Robinson was in his first season with the Bears, who rode a wave of momentum led by the acquisition of Khalil Mack to an NFC North title. Those best of times lasted just one season, though, and Robinson and Mack are both consequently now in L.A. -- Robinson having signed a three-year deal with the Rams and Mack having been traded to the Chargers.
After that 2018 season, Robinson's numbers improved over the next two seasons but the Bears struggled as a whole and never found an offensive identity.
Robinson has seemingly already identified with McVay in their short time together.
"He allows players to play. He corrects us and things like that, but it's his ability to allow players to play," Robinson said via USA Today's Cameron DaSilva. "Each and every day we go out there and as we're practicing and things like that, we're able to make corrections and make adjustments based on things that guys are doing right or doing wrong. It's his coaching style that truly allows players to play freely and then we just correct off of that. So whenever I step onto the field, I'm able to be myself. And if I do mess up something or am wrong here, he'll correct me and we'll just keep it pushing. Every time I step on the field, I feel like I can be and play at my best self."
The 28-year-old Robinson is coming off a disappointing 2021 campaign with the Bears in which he never really got into sync with then-rookie quarterback Justin Fields, but then again, nobody in the Chicago offense really got into much of a groove last year. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in which he averaged 100 catches, Robinson had only 38 receptions for 410 yards in 2021.
Fields is one of six quarterbacks Robinson has played five or more games with during his career, per NFL Research. Each of those QBs -- Fields, Nick Foles, Chase Daniel, Andy Dalton, Blake Bortles and Mitchell Trubisky -- have sub-90 career passer ratings with an average of 7.0 or less career passing yards per attempt.
There has been no consistency at quarterback for Robinson and yet he's continually produced.
Now, he'll play with undoubtedly the most talented and accomplished quarterback of his career in Matthew Stafford.
He'll also line up alongside Cooper Kupp, who in 2021 became the first wide receiver to win the receiving triple crown since 2005.
From 2019-2020, Robinson was third in the NFL with 200 catches for 2,397 yards. Adding that version of the receiver to McVay's offense is a captivating prospect.
Robinson has the quarterback, an All-Pro receiver to team up with and a proven coach all at once for the first time in his career.
Most assuredly, he finds himself in a perfect setting to be the very best version of himself.
