Silver Minings: Las Vegas ‘in the mix’ for Allen Robinson

Could a top free agent WR head to Sin City?

The NFL’s legal tampering period in free agency is about to begin in a matter of hours, so rumors about the Las Vegas Raiders and the 31 other teams in the league are already running rampant. It’s no secret that the Raiders need a wide receiver this offseason, and with Davante Adams getting the franchise tag last week, ex-Chicago Bears wideout Allen Robinson is one of the top names on the market.

Robinson has 495 career catches for 6,409 yards and 40 touchdowns in his eight-year career, and that came while battling injuries and less than stellar quarterback play. He was limited to 10 games as a rookie with a stress fracture in his foot, played one quarter in 2017 before tearing an ACL and a hamstring injury kept him to just 12 contests this past season. As for the signal callers he’s had to work with, it’s been a combination of Blake Bortles, Mitch Trubisky and a crop of several other underwhelming names.

The point is that Robinson’s numbers to this point are even more impressive considering the context of his career, so it’s completely understandable that the Raiders would be interested in him, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed that on Sunday.

“The New York Jets, Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders are among the teams who could be “in the mix” to sign Robinson, per Rapoport…the Cleveland Browns are also a team to watch.

“…As for the Raiders, Robinson could potentially be the final piece in turning the Las Vegas receiving corps into an excellent one as it currently features tight end Darren Waller and standout slot receiver Hunter Renfrow. It would also give Robinson the chance to play with Derek Carr, who would be far and away the best and most statistically accomplished QB of Robinson’s career.”

Carr would undoubtedly welcome a talent like Robinson the outside, especially since it looks like the door is shut on reuniting with his college teammate, but it does sound like the Raiders will have some competition for the eight-year vet.

For what it’s worth, New York has the most effective cap space of the teams listed above with about $35.4 million per OverTheCap.com, while Las Vegas is in second with about $26.7 million, Detriot in third at about $14.2 million and Cleveland is in the hole by about $7.9 million. Also, the Browns just traded for former Raider Amari Cooper, so they might be a longshot for Robinson.

Pro Football Focus projects a 3 year, $48 million contract for the former Bear, so it looks like the Silver and Black will have a chance to land one of the top wide receivers on the open market. We’ll still have to wait and see how it all plays out.

In other Raiders’ links:

• Nakobe Dean the next Raiders LB great?: find out what the National Champion has to offer the Silver and Black.
• Jakob Johnson not tendered: after Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler didn’t opt to tender Alec Ingold, the fullback from their former employer, the Patriots, became an option in free agency.
• Scouting report, Treylon Burks: another wideout that could be on the table for the Silver and Black this offseason.
• Chargers interested top CB: J.C. Jackson has been another popular name in Raider Nation during the beginning stages of free agency, but it’s being reported that a division rival could steal him away.