Tim Benz: Reading the tea leaves for what Allen Robinson’s arrival means for Steelers’ draft strategy
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Now that Allen Robinson has reportedly passed his physical, the former Los Angeles Ram can be added to the mix of wide receivers on the Pittsburgh Steelers depth chart.
That has made some people wonder if the Steelers now have no plans to make further additions to that position group in next week’s draft.
Even if former Pitt (and USC) player Jordan Addison is available. He was Kenny Pickett’s favorite target when they were both Panthers.
With the Robinson deal, I don't think the Steelers will draft a WR. Unless it's in the 7th round. No Jordan Addison. No Jalin Hyatt. No Cedric Tillman. No Marvin Mims. No young playmaker.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 18, 2023
Jordan Addison fans after seeing on Twitter that the Steelers are signing Allen Robinson. pic.twitter.com/qZgExbDXA0
— Billy Hartford (@BudDupreeFan) April 18, 2023
Regarding Jordan Addison to the Steelers now that we signed Robinson. pic.twitter.com/uht9NAYJPF
— LeeAnn Lowman (@HollywoodLowman) April 19, 2023
Ugh, #Steelers. Why trade for a washed Allen Robinson when Jordan Addison was RIGHT THERE? Did you learn nothing from the Bengals? Pickett to Addison could have been our version of Burrow to Chase. SMH… #HereWeGo
— RBloodworth (@RBloodworth78) April 18, 2023
The Robinson trade shows one thing: the Steelers were look for a big slot WR to fill the shoes of Claypool, Robinson does fit that mold. It also proves that Addison was never in the mix, to me at least.
— Ian (@IanMcq87) April 18, 2023
I get the connection everyone is making. Whether that’s in regard to Addison, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Boston College’s Zay Flowers, North Carolina’s Josh Downs or any other wide receiver the mock drafters have ticketed for Pittsburgh.
But I don’t think Robinson’s arrival is exactly A+B=C thinking in that way.
Let’s face it, if Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan and Andy Weidl all felt really good about Calvin Austin and Anthony Miller coming off of their 2022 season-ending injuries, any deal to obtain Robinson wouldn’t have been necessary. Therefore, there may still be opportunity to add to that wide receivers room, especially if Gunner Olszewski is rendered strictly to special teams and Miles Boykin doesn’t come back.
To me, if there are any dots to be connected between landing Robinson and what that means in terms of draft strategy, it’s that the Steelers simply didn’t see those players as worthy of pick No. 17. Plus, they may believe only a few — or none — of them will still be available at No. 32 or No. 49 when they might be willing to select them.
If you are trying to glean some link between trading for Robinson and draft strategy, maybe it’s along those lines.
That the Steelers are more zoned in on a greater area of need such as cornerback, offensive tackle, defensive line youth or linebacker depth. The club may want to buffer itself with Robinson in what is an oddly thin receiver class, where few good ones might be left after the Steelers address two or three of those problem spots elsewhere on the two-deep.
Robinson’s arrival could also mean that a rumored trade up the draft board really is in play, and the Steelers know they may have one less pick to spend on a wide receiver. So best to address the lack of depth at the position ahead of time via trade instead.
There’s no law written that Robinson has to be the Steelers’ third receiver. If one of those pass catchers slips to a spot where the Steelers can select that player and still adequately address another area of need later, they’ll do it.
Robinson is simply the latest in a series of Steelers offseason acquisitions that have served one specific agenda: leave no glaring holes on the depth chart heading into Thursday.
Khan and Weidl are making sure they don’t feel forced to address one specific position in their first draft together as the heirs to Kevin Colbert.
Granted, they may still be close to that danger zone when trying to find a third corner that can play outside the numbers besides Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson. I really don’t think they want to go into this season with Ahkello Witherspoon and James Pierre as the only options to do that. Similarly, I think they’d like a higher ceiling player than La’Raven Clark as a tackle to back up (or push) Chuks Okorafor and Dan Moore.
That’s why it’s safe money to bet the Steelers will likely address both of those spots with draft picks before Friday night’s results are in the books.
But, for instance, signing Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts at inside linebacker won’t prevent Khan and Weidl from taking Jack Campbell (Iowa), Drew Sanders (Arkansas) or Trenton Simpson (Clemson) if any of them drop surprisingly far. Inking Keanu Neal at safety in free agency won’t automatically put up a stop sign if Brian Branch (Alabama) is on the board later than projected.
After all, bringing in Armon Watts and Breiden Fehoko hasn’t cooled any conversation about the Steelers taking Bryan Bresee (Clemson) or trading up to No. 9 for Jalen Carter (Georgia), has it?
I look at Robinson in the same vein.
In other words, Pitt fans, I don’t think the Pickett-to-Addison fantasy you are entertaining has to be extinguished just yet.