Allen Robinson making 'big difference' in Steelers offense as he settles into slot role

No defense has faced the Pittsburgh Steelers offense this summer more than, well, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It happened every week during the spring at organized team activities, continued in training camp at Saint Vincent College and has carried over to practice sessions at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

Which makes defensive coordinator Teryl Austin somewhat of an authority on what changes he has seen benefit the Steelers offense over the past year and what potentially can make it so difficult to defend — as other teams discovered during a 3-0 preseason.

When the subject was broached Saturday, Austin noted additions made on the offensive line. Then, unsolicited, he mentioned another new face — and most experienced NFL player on the offense.

“Allen in the slot is a big difference,” Austin said referring to 10-year veteran Allen Robinson. “You’ve got a third quality guy in there, so (the offense) can go to other places. For us, we feel that in practice.”

The addition of Robinson via an offseason trade with the Los Angeles Rams has provided the Steelers defense with an experienced option to defend daily in practice. He also has provided a veteran presence the Steelers have lacked in recent seasons.

And it comes at slot receiver, a position the Steelers were looking to upgrade after trading Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears at midseason. It also provides another piece to the offensive puzzle for second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett.

As the Steelers prepare to open the season in two weeks, they are happy with what they’ve seen from Robinson.

“He’s everything we’d hoped he’d be so far,” offensive coordinator Matt Canada said.

Despite having more NFL experience than anyone on the Steelers roster not named Cameron Heyward or Patrick Peterson, Robinson just turned 30 on Thursday when he became the rare Steelers veteran to play in every preseason game.

Robinson played six snaps that night in the Steelers’ 24-0 victory at Atlanta to give him 20 for the preseason, including 15 at slot receiver. Perhaps it’s not enough of a sample size to project whether Robinson can make a tangible difference on the field, but he already is earning respect from the way he has led in the locker room.

“Allen has been fantastic,” wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson said. “He’s constantly coaching the guys up, constantly talking things through. ‘Hey, what about this technique. Hey, I tried this release. Hey, let’s go watch film from 2017, and I’ll show you this play I ran that’s very similar to what we’re doing. Here is what I did to get open.’

“He’s been phenomenal for our room as far as helping the maturation process of George (Pickens) and all of the guys.”

In training camp, the Steelers intentionally had Robinson assigned to a room with Pickens, the second-year receiver who at 22 is eight years his junior. Robinson also has provided guidance to Diontae Johnson, Calvin Austin and the other receivers on the roster.

“I don’t know if it was missing (from recent years),” Canada said. “I know we’re happy that he’s here and doing the things we’ve wanted him to do.”

By playing in each preseason game, Robinson continued to erase any question about whether he’d be slowed from the ankle injury that shelved him for the final seven games of the 2022 season, his lone one with the Rams.

Robinson was targeted twice on the opening series last weekend against Buffalo, and his 10-yard reception on third down set up Jaylen Warren’s 62-yard touchdown run. He was targeted on the first play for a 2-yard gain against Atlanta. Then, like the rest of the starting skill position players, he headed to the bench after the second series.

“We did what we needed to do,” Robinson said. “We were checking off the boxes we needed to. It’s nothing to hang our hats on. We have a couple of weeks to go out there and prepare.”

Robinson will be in the slot when the Steelers open the season Sept. 10 against San Francisco. When he has stayed healthy, Robinson has recorded three seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards and three with at least 80 receptions.

He likes the continuity the offense developed in training camp and in brief appearances during the preseason.

“I think everybody is excited,” he said. “We still have a little bit of time. You don’t want to peak too early, but I think everyone is champing at the bit and looking forward to the Week 1 matchup.”

Although the Steelers’ starting trio of receivers didn’t get too much work in the preseason, Robinson thinks the competitive practice environment developed by coach Mike Tomlin has made a difference in the team’s preparation.

“We’ve been able to handle the challenges of practice we’ve had that coach has tossed at us,” he said. “For us to take those to game day, we’ve continued to stack boxes. It’s not the time to pull off the gas. It’s time to put our foot on it over this next week and a half. You want to go in and hit this with a full head of steam.”