Updated: St. Louis Rams trade for Atlanta WR Laurent Robinson
The Rams need help at the wide receiver position and got some Monday by trading for Atlanta wideout Laurent Robinson. The Rams acquired Robinson by switching draft positions with the Falcons in both the fifth and sixth rounds. They didn’t lose any picks; they just changed positions in both rounds with Atlanta.
The Rams get Atlanta’s fifth-round (No. 160 overall) and sixth-round (No. 196 overall) picks; Atlanta gets the Rams’ fifth-round (No. 138 overall) and sixth-round (No. 176 overall) picks.
Robinson was a third-round pick by the Falcons out of Illinois State in 2007. Rams general manager Billy Devaney was with the Falcons at that time and in the draft room when Robinson was selected.
Robinson started six games for the Falcons as a rookie, including the season opener. For the year, he appeared in 15 games with 37 catches for 437 yards. His only TD of the year was a 74-yard catch-and-run against Arizona in Game 15.
But Robinson was a Bobby Petrino draft pick, and fell out of favor with new head coach Mike Smith in 2008. Slowed by hamstring problems, Robinson appeared in just six games for the Falcons last season, catching five passes for 52 yards.
Robinson has good size at 6-2, 194 pounds, and is considered a speed guy with good hands. But the injury problems didn’t help his cause in Atlanta. Neither did the fact that he wasn’t considered physical enough by Smith’s staff, particularly as a blocker.
The Rams’ inherit his contract as a result of the trade, and Robinson comes cheaply. He has two years left on his contract and is scheduled to make $460,000 this season and $550,000 in 2010.
The Rams have made no promises about his role in St. Louis; he will simply compete for playing time.
Devaney got badly criticized by Mel Kiper for selecting Donnie Avery last season, and look what Avery did as a rookie. He was better than Chris Long in my humble opinion. Avery played a big part of the season with a hairline fracture of his hip. Imagine what he is capable of this year, if he is completely healthy!
I feel great about Laurent Robinson, because Devaney knows him, and helped draft him. We gave up virtually nothing to get him, and this kid has great upside! He has already proven he can play in this league. His 2007 stats were solid for a rookie! Way to go Mr. Devaney!!
This deal, like most every other one so far this off-season, makes a terrific amount of sense and isn’t costly–a great contrast to splashy, but useless acquisitions in the recent past. The move is modest but has a high upside–Robinson is young, fast, under the radar, and on the outs with his current team’s coaching staff. We give up draft positions in the later rounds and no players–a good deal.
I can’t wait to see how savvy the draft is by this group led by GM Devaney.
Like many, I don’t know too much about Laurent Robinson. But without too much playing time with the falcons essentially we’re getting a rookie with plenty of potential. Watch :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A55mErBP208
Another shrewd move by the Rams.
Laurent Robinson
Just how good this trade will be for the Rams depends on a number of factors. In college he was not know for being a physical wide receiver. He has good speed but not the breakaway burst that will give him separation after the catch. Therefore defensive backs often take him down after the catch. He has very good hands and can catch the ball in traffic. Some draft boards had him rated as high as the 11th wide receiver in the 2007 draft class. So he was a good pick at number three.
Both in college and in the pros he was plagued by injuries. His best year was his junior rear where he put up first round numbers. His senior year injuries moved him down in the draft. His lack of playing time due to injuries put him out of favor in 2008.
What the Rams gave for Robinson is equivalent to a 6th round draft pick. This is not much for a player who has a lot of potential and has proven that he can be a starter at the next level. To make the rooster he is going to have to improve his conditioning, bulk up and add some muscle with attitude. Many of his injuries are in large part due to lack of conditioning and strength. The Rams want their receivers to be able to block so Laurent is going to have to reinvent himself in that respect since he has never been known as even a mediocre blocker in his college days. The one thing he has going for him is that he is a very sure handed receiver who can catch the ball in stride. Despite what some people say he does have very good speed and is faster than most of the top prospects in this years draft. Time will tell how this trade works out. Robinson is going to have to spend a lot of time at Ram’s park improving his conditioning if this is going to workout.
This is one of those moves that flies under the radar, but can be an excellent move that helps solidify a team’s need. Robinson was targeted as a “an up and coming stud receiver” last year, but injuries nipped that in the bud. Now obviously he needs to prove that he can be that receiver and also stay healthy. But for what the Rams gave up to get him, it is well worth it because at worst he adds size and comes in to push the other young receivers the Rams have. At best he achieves that potential and flourishes for many years to come. I love his upside. It is tremendous, IF he can stay healthy. Here’s hoping for health and a fresh start pushing him pursue excellence.
Production, performance on the field and more production - every game, every down. Great to see the team’s stock improve. The new coaching staff hardly reads as the type to suffer half-hearted players. (”But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me” - para phrase from Philippians 3:13,14)
speed, the only WR vets, that pop out on the list(aside from Holt and Harrison, are Armani Toomer and Joe Jurevicius. I mean Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald, are still available but…,