Chiefs free agent profile: Demarcus Robinson is a bad bet to return

Demarcus Robinson’s Pros

Robinson has shown to be a solid deep/end zone threat when called upon. A good example of this would be in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, where he caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes in the back of the end zone:

He can separate well with his athletic ability, using his speed and agility to get away from the DB and create a great catch, utilizing good adjustment with his upper body. He has shown a few times this season to be a solid red zone/end zone threat, which every offense would love to have on their roster.

Robinson would also be cheap to bring back on board. As described earlier, the Chiefs can bring Robinson back on a vet-minimum deal to keep him around with how his contract numbers have declined. They can fill some wide receiver depth for cheap, and Robinson gets another season to prove why he belongs on the Chiefs’ roster.

Demarcus Robinson’s Cons

Robinson is inconsistent. He could have a solid game of 46 yards and a touchdown in Week 6 against Washington but then disappear for the next three games. The same thing happened in the playoffs, where he put up 76 yards with four catches in the Wild Card against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but then he wouldn’t catch another pass for the rest of the playoffs. He can have a good game but then fall off the map when you need him the most.

Byron Pringle and others have outshined Robinson in the passing attack. Pringle had a breakout regular season, catching 42 passes on 60 targets for 568 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also had 3 receiving touchdowns this postseason. He did double the production that Robinson did in fewer snaps (Pringle: 49%, Robinson: 58% in 2021-22). Mecole Hardman outshined him, too, hauling in 693 receiving yards.

With the Chiefs probably looking to bring in another wide receiver and how depth positions are sometimes expendable, Robinson is clearly on the hot seat

This leads to my next point: Robinson is also expendable. The Chiefs could easily find someone to replace him. To describe Robinson in as few words as possible, he is a receiver with solid athleticism and a solid short-to-deep field threat. You can find a depth receiver like Robinson anywhere in the league, whether from the draft, free agency, or another team’s practice squad. He doesn’t possess many qualities that would make him a necessary re-sign this offseason.