In the aftermath of Super LV, the Kansas City Chiefs will be tasked with building a roster to get them back to the Super Bowl for a third consecutive year. Brett Veach will have a decision to make on a number of unrestricted free agents this season, many of whom contributed to the success of this franchise over the past two seasons. One of those players is wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.
A former fourth-round pick by Kansas City in the 2016 NFL draft, Robinson came up through the Chiefs’ system at the right time. In his first season, Robinson was seldom used on offense, but played over 270 special teams snaps. In the 2017 season, Robinson spent the early part of the year working on special teams. He also ran with the scout team offense and then-backup Patrick Mahomes. The two developed great chemistry back then and that has really been the foundation for Robinson’s success in Kansas City. The two have connected on some of Mahomes’ signature plays over the years.
In 2019, Robinson was set to hit free agency for the first time in his career. He was coming off of a career season where he saw highs in receptions, yards and games started. He also, of course, was coming off of a Super Bowl victory. After rumored interest from teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, Robinson’s market didn’t develop as hoped. He ended up re-signing with Kansas City on a one-year deal worth $2.3 million guaranteed under the new veteran salary benefit. Basically, the Chiefs were able to offset some of Robinson’s cap hit on the contract.
This free agency period feels similar to 2019, where many free agents won’t have the market they’d hoped for. This time it’s due to a lessened salary cap number caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. If Robinson doesn’t see a lot of interest, it could behoove him to stick around in Kansas City on another one-year contract. He is coming off another career-type season, where he achieved new highs in receptions (45) and yards (466).
At the same time, the team might not want to bring Robinson back. Chiefs GM Brett Veach expressed confidence in the ability of players like Mecole Hardman and Byron Pringle. Robinson has been one of the players blocking both Hardman and Pringle from getting more opportunities within the offense. His departure could allow both of those players to shine in 2021.
[listicle id=89013]