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Like it or not, the Houston Texans needed a talent like Cam Robinson in free agency.
Losing an offensive tackle of Laremy Tunsil's potential is brutal. Having a mid-first-round rookie offensive tackle come in and replace a five-time Pro Bowler amid a run to the postseason is malpractice for both the player and third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
So yes, the Texans were wise to bring in Robinson, an eight-year starting left tackle with over 100 career games under his belt during his time in Jacksonville and Minnesota, on a one-year deal. With offensive tackles earning $20-plus million, the going rate of $12 million, which could reach $14.5 million if Robinson reaches his incentives, it might be a steal.
But the addition of Robinson doesn't solve the Texans' offensive line woes. It doesn't stop Houston from drafting an offensive tackle with the No. 25 overall pick with one of its other six selections.
Robinson's arrival alleviates the pressure of a rookie having to impress out of the gate, nothing more. If anything, it' ensures that within the next two years, Houston will have either fixed the offensive line or fired the person in charge of calling the shots, which right now happens to be Cole Popovich.
A former All-American at Alabama, Robinson has experience protecting quarterbacks, but the results haven't been kind. He allowed nine sacks in 17 starts, including seven following a trade to the Vikings as the immediate replacement for Christian Darrisaw for a playoff-bound roster. The bigger problem has been allowing consistent pressure. Last season, he gave the most among all offensive lineman (64), including a career-wost 12 in the wild-card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
There's also injury issues. Since 2017, Robinson has only played in two full seasons, including last year, when he allowed the second-most sacks in his career. He also was slapped with a four-game suspension in 2023 for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, thus costing him money in a restructured contract ahead of the 2024 season.
But is he a better option than trusting say Texas All-American Kelvin Banks in Week 1? Absolutely. Does the experience allow him to be a potential upside starter for the first several games of the regular season? Without question. Keep in mind that even with a Pro Bowl talent like Tunsil, the Texans allowed 52 sacks against Stroud, tied for the third-most allowed in the NFL.
Robinson's arrival doesn't change Houston's draft plans, either. Should the right tackle be in play, he should be the option for the long haul. If a tackle is gone, the Texans could pivot over to wide receiver or guard rather than trading up to land not their first or second option at tackle.
For now, Houston is putting a band-aid on a problem that needs stitches. It'll hold, but it needs proper care if it plans on healing.
No, the Texans shouldn't feel content with a swing tackle option starting for 17 games, but for Week 1? It's not an issue.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Here's why Texans needed to sign OT Cam Robinson ahead of NFL Draft
Continue reading...
Losing an offensive tackle of Laremy Tunsil's potential is brutal. Having a mid-first-round rookie offensive tackle come in and replace a five-time Pro Bowler amid a run to the postseason is malpractice for both the player and third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
So yes, the Texans were wise to bring in Robinson, an eight-year starting left tackle with over 100 career games under his belt during his time in Jacksonville and Minnesota, on a one-year deal. With offensive tackles earning $20-plus million, the going rate of $12 million, which could reach $14.5 million if Robinson reaches his incentives, it might be a steal.
But the addition of Robinson doesn't solve the Texans' offensive line woes. It doesn't stop Houston from drafting an offensive tackle with the No. 25 overall pick with one of its other six selections.
Robinson's arrival alleviates the pressure of a rookie having to impress out of the gate, nothing more. If anything, it' ensures that within the next two years, Houston will have either fixed the offensive line or fired the person in charge of calling the shots, which right now happens to be Cole Popovich.
A former All-American at Alabama, Robinson has experience protecting quarterbacks, but the results haven't been kind. He allowed nine sacks in 17 starts, including seven following a trade to the Vikings as the immediate replacement for Christian Darrisaw for a playoff-bound roster. The bigger problem has been allowing consistent pressure. Last season, he gave the most among all offensive lineman (64), including a career-wost 12 in the wild-card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
There's also injury issues. Since 2017, Robinson has only played in two full seasons, including last year, when he allowed the second-most sacks in his career. He also was slapped with a four-game suspension in 2023 for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, thus costing him money in a restructured contract ahead of the 2024 season.
But is he a better option than trusting say Texas All-American Kelvin Banks in Week 1? Absolutely. Does the experience allow him to be a potential upside starter for the first several games of the regular season? Without question. Keep in mind that even with a Pro Bowl talent like Tunsil, the Texans allowed 52 sacks against Stroud, tied for the third-most allowed in the NFL.
Robinson's arrival doesn't change Houston's draft plans, either. Should the right tackle be in play, he should be the option for the long haul. If a tackle is gone, the Texans could pivot over to wide receiver or guard rather than trading up to land not their first or second option at tackle.
For now, Houston is putting a band-aid on a problem that needs stitches. It'll hold, but it needs proper care if it plans on healing.
No, the Texans shouldn't feel content with a swing tackle option starting for 17 games, but for Week 1? It's not an issue.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Here's why Texans needed to sign OT Cam Robinson ahead of NFL Draft
Continue reading...
