The Baltimore Ravens had been rumored to sign a veteran wide receiver for months now and they finally did so on Friday adding former Kansas City Chiefs wideout Demarcus Robinson.
Now, Robinson isn’t Odell Beckham Jr. He isn’t Will Fuller. He isn’t even T.Y. Hilton. But the six-year NFL veteran serves as a valuable — and much-needed — veteran addition to an inexperienced wide receiver room.
Robinson joins a Ravens wide receiver depth chart that also features the likes of Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche, among other unproven roster candidates.
The Ravens didn’t sign Robinson to “fix” their lack of wide receiver depth. They didn’t sign him to be one of the top targets in their offense. Instead, Robinson will provide experience and a proven NFL pedigree.
This was a necessary move for the Ravens.
Why the Demarcus Robinson signing makes sense for the Ravens
A fourth-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2016 NFL Draft, Robinson spent six seasons in Kansas City where he racked up 145 catches for 1,679 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Robinson was never a featured part of the Chiefs’ offense. Even in his best seasons he failed to crack 500 yards. But that’s not where his value as a player lies.
In six NFL seasons, Robinson has yet to miss a single game. He’s suited up for all 97 posible games since entering the league — a testament to not only his durability but his consitency.
As the Ravens saw last year, you can never have too much depth. Robinson provides durable, consistent depth with an added boost of experience to boot.
In fact, even at the age of just 27 years old, Robinson has played more NFL seasons than every wide receiver on the Ravens’ roster combined. That’s how inexperienced this Ravens wide receiver room was prior to his arrival.
And that right there is why this move was necessary. Robinson isn’t going to be a significant part of this Ravens offense. He’s not even guaranteed a roster spot at this stage. That’s not what matters.
What matters is that the Ravens finally added some veteran depth to their receiver room. And they did so while still leaning on their youth. That’s a win-win for everyone involved.