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

As the 2022 free agency period draws near, the Kansas City Chiefs have a ton of decisions to make regarding the roster. They have 25 players set to hit the free-agent market (restricted and unrestricted), including fan favorites like Tyrann Mathieu, Jerick McKinnon, and others.

Over the last week, we’ve taken a look at a few free agent player profiles to better understand what’s at stake for the Chiefs when considering their options, and today we turn our attention to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.

Robinson was drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 126th overall pick by the Chiefs. Robinson barely received playing time on offense in his rookie season in 2016, only playing in five offensive snaps; however, he was highly used in special teams, playing in 61% of their snaps. He would then receive more playing time as the years have gone by, but his snap counts have been trending down as of late (58% in the 2021-22 season).

As we survey the Kansas City Chiefs free agents-to-be, let’s explore the case for bringing back wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for the 2022 season.

In his career, Robinson has been targeted 227 times. He has caught 145 of those targets for 1,679 yards and 14 touchdowns. Robinson has garnered a few one-year contracts after his rookie contract expired; his most recent one was signed last March for $1.13 million, compared to the one received the season before for $2.3 million.

With that all said, let’s examine the pros and cons of bringing him back on board, what Robinson would offer in 2022, and the decision of whether or not he’ll be on the roster next season.

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.

Recommendation

My recommendation would be to not bring Demarcus Robinson back on the Chiefs’ roster, even if it’s the cheapest deal. With how Pringle and Hardman have played this season and the cons I described earlier, it’s okay for the Chiefs to let him walk. Robinson’s caliber as a receiver isn’t too hard to find, and the Chiefs’ scouting department should be able to find his replacement. If the Chiefs were to bring him back, he’d be the fourth or fifth option pending if they bring a receiver like Juju Smith-Schuster onto the roster.

There is not much else to say either other than to thank him for being on the Chiefs’ for five years and aiding them to a Super Bowl win. It was a solid run, but everything must eventually come to an end.

Prediction

Demarcus Robinson will not be re-signed this offseason by the Chiefs and will test the free agency waters.