Greg Robinson - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Cam, Robinson, Slay, Olsen

February 19th, 2020 at 9:36pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got more details on Greg Robinson‘s recent arrest. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero passes along (via Twitter) that the offensive lineman was busted with approximately 157 pounds of marijuana.

Robinson was arrested alongside former NFL wideout Quan Bray, who served as a return man for the Colts between 2015 and 2017. If the duo is convicted of possession with intent to distribute, they could each face up to 20 years in federal prison. The two were traveling with a third passenger, who was not arrested (although Robinson reportedly tried to bribe the passenger to take the fall).

The soon-to-be-free agent re-signed with the Browns on a one-year, $7MM deal before the 2019 season. Robinson struggled throughout the campaign, and he temporarily lost his starting gig. We learned earlier today that Cleveland won’t be pursuing another contract with the former second-overall pick.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

Teams will be allowed to do their research on Panthers quarterback Cam Newton before committing to a trade. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes that a team can give a physical to a potential trade acquisition (with the permission of the incumbent team). Considering the former MVP has suffered a long list of injuries throughout his career, this will be an important hurdle to overcome during negotiations (especially, as Florio notes, if Newton is looking for a brand-new contract).
A league executive believes it’d take a second- or third-rounder to pry cornerback Darius Slay from the Lions (via Ryan O’Halloran of The Denver Post on Twitter). Of course, that same executive believes the three-time Pro Bowler will also command a contract that’s worth at least $15MM per season. We recently heard that teams have inquired on Slay, and the cornerback may be looking for a fresh start.
Whenever Greg Olsen retires, it sounds like he won’t struggle to find a new job. The veteran tight end had discussions with multiple networks regarding a “high-profile” television gig, reports Joe Person of The Athletic (via Twitter). Ultimately, the 13-year veteran decided to sign a one-year, $7MM deal with the Seahawks.
Nate Ebner has spent his entire career with the Patriots, and the special teams ace (and impending free agent) would like to stick with New England. “That would be the best thing, I think, when you consider my entire career has been here,” Ebner told reporters (via NESN’s Zack Cox on Twitter). “I’ve got some true friendships here. … But right now it’s out of my hands, so we’ll see what happens.” The former sixth-rounder has won three Super Bowls during his eight years in New England, and he also earned a second team All-Pro nod in 2016.

Browns Won’t Re-Sign Greg Robinson

February 19th, 2020 at 11:18am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns won’t be re-signing left tackle Greg Robinson, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. This was relayed to his camp even before his recent arrest for marijuana possession near the U.S./Mexico border.

Robinson, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 draft, looked the part of a late bloomer after hooking on with the Browns in 2018. After a solid Year One, he was re-upped on a one-year deal with a base value of $7MM, plus incentives that could have taken him to $9MM.

In 2019, he regressed sharply. At points, Robinson was turnstile during the Browns’ trying year and his inconsistency was one of many issues that dogged their talent-laden offense. On the flipside, it’s worth noting that the advanced metrics were somewhat kind to him – he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 41 ranked tackle in the NFL last year. That’s not great for a playoff hopeful’s left tackle, but it’s not a bad slot among 81 qualified players.

Since 2014, Robinson has appeared in 84 games with 70 starts for the Rams, Lions, and Browns.

Browns’ Greg Robinson Arrested

February 19th, 2020 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

Greg Robinson could be in some legal trouble as he gets set for free agency in March. The former No. 2 overall pick was arrested near the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday and police say that he was carrying a large quantity of marijuana (via TMZ).

Robinson is facing a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute, according to the report. This may hamper Robinson’s market, which was already looking iffy after a down year with the Browns.

Robinson, 28 in October, was solid in his first year with Cleveland. He re-upped with the Browns on a one-year, $7MM deal before the 2019 season, but he failed to deliver an encore performance. He allowed lots of pressures against Baker Mayfield, garnered lots of flags, and temporarily lost his starting job.

Despite his natural talent and size (he stands at 6’5″ and weighs about 330 pounds), Robinson has yet to show consistency at the pro level. The dearth of tackles across the NFL probably would have allowed him to find some guaranteed money on the open market, but this latest news will hurt his chances. And the Browns, who are open to giving running back Kareem Hunt another chance after his latest slip-up, might not have the same level of patience with Robinson.

North Notes: Robinson, Thielen, Browns

November 30th, 2019 at 7:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Allen Robinson sounds confident the he and the Bears will discuss an extension at some point. The sixth-year wide receiver has enjoyed his best season since 2015, averaging 70.8 yards per game and having become the Bears’ most reliable skill-position player. The 27-year-old wideout sounds willing to wait, however. He is signed through the 2020 season.

“My focus is just to finish the season strong, and I am sure at some point in time whether it’s my agent starting it or them, it will be talked about,” Robinson said, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. “There is a good amount of time. So many different scenarios can play out. The time will come.”

Although no guaranteed money remains on Robinson’s three-year, $42MM deal, he is set to earn $10.9MM in base salary next season and is certainly not at risk of being released.

Here is the latest from the North divisions:

Adam Thielen‘s last game featuring double-digit snaps came in Week 6, but the Vikings‘ highest-paid skill-position player is trending in a better direction for Monday night’s game. Battling a hamstring injury, Thielen returned to practice Friday and got in two limited workouts this week. He does not expect to be a game-time decision, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter), so the Vikings (and certain fantasy owners) may have some advance notice. Thielen will see his 1,000-yard streak likely stop after two seasons, but the 29-year-old standout is certainly pivotal to Minnesota’s hopes at winning the NFC North.
This will not be the week David Njoku returns to the Browns’ skill-position arsenal. The Browns did not activate their top tight end by Saturday afternoon’s deadline, so he will miss another game. With Njoku having returned to practice on Nov. 20, the Browns do not have to activate him until Dec. 10. If Njoku is not activated by then, he will spend the rest of the season on IR. The third-year tight end underwent surgery for a broken wrist during his IR stay.
Cleveland will be without left tackle Greg Robinson as well. The oft-scrutinized former No. 2 overall pick did not practice this week and will remain in concussion protocol through Week 13. Kyle Murphy started for Robinson at left tackle when he was benched earlier this year. The Browns, however, gave the sixth-year blocker his job back soon after.
Yet another Andre Smith stint with the Bengals will come to an end. The winless team waived the veteran tackle on Saturday.

Browns To Revert To Greg Robinson At LT

November 3rd, 2019 at 12:55pm CST by Rory Parks

After benching left tackle Greg Robinson for last week’s loss to the Patriots, the Browns are putting him back in the starting lineup, per ESPN’s Josina Anderson (via Twitter). Justin McCray replaced Robinson and did not fare particularly well against New England’s fierce defensive front, though that unit would have posed problems for just about anyone. Cleveland’s offensive line as a whole allowed Baker Mayfield to be sacked five times, and the team’s coaching staff obviously believes Robinson will do a better job of protecting Mayfield’s blindside.

Before his benching, Robinson allowed only one sack and two quarterback hits, but he yielded 10 pressures and was flagged five times for holding. Despite these numbers, Pro Football Focus had Robinson graded as its No. 27 overall tackle.

The Browns were looking for an upgrade at LT prior to the trade deadline, but they were unable to swing a deal. Instead, they will hope for improvement from Robinson, who was solid in his first season with the Browns in 2018.

Cleveland, 2-5, will look to right the ship against the Broncos this afternoon. Denver has notched 17 sacks on the season, ninth-most in the league.

Browns Bench LT Greg Robinson

October 26th, 2019 at 2:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Browns attempt to land a new left tackle via trade, they will use a different starter against the Patriots. Greg Robinson will be a backup Sunday, he confirmed (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, on Twitter). This was in the cards for a bit now, but the Browns have followed through with the change.

Former UDFA Justin McCray is expected to take over. The Browns, who started UDFA Desmond Harrison last season before pivoting to Robinson, acquired McCray via trade with the Packers just before the season. However, they have been linked to both Trent Williams (for a while now) and Nate Solder via trade. John Dorsey plans to add a tackle before Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline.

The Browns’ Robinson experiment has not gone especially well. The team managed to release its left tackle starter in a procedural move before the season and re-sign him soon after, appearing confident another team would not swoop in. While the former No. 2 overall pick has only allowed one sack and two quarterback hits, he has yielded 10 pressures and been flagged five times for holding. Despite these numbers, Pro Football Focus has Robinson graded as its No. 27 overall tackle.

McCray has spent time at guard as well during his career. The 27-year-old Central Florida alum has made 14 career starts for the Packers and Browns. Should he get the call Sunday, it would certainly be a difficult assignment — against a Patriots defense on a historic pace.

Latest On Redskins OT Trent Williams

October 16th, 2019 at 9:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins continue to “stonewall” rival clubs that have inquired on the availability of left tackle Trent Williams, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds Williams’ trade value is difficult to ascertain given that Washington hasn’t truly engaged in any substantive conversations with other teams.

Just last week, Redskins president Bruce Allen reiterated his club has not had any “dialogue with any other team” regarding Williams and indicated Washington is not actively shopping the veteran offensive lineman. The Redskins have long maintained that they have no interest in dealing Williams despite his season-long holdout and his displeasure with the team.

The Browns have been mentioned as a likely suitor for Williams in the event he does become available, and despite Allen’s assertion, Cleveland has had talks with Washington about Williams. Asked today about his talks with the Redskins, Browns general manager John Dorsey said, “We’ve had a few conversations,” as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. However, Dorsey also said “it takes two to tango,” once again indicating the Redskins aren’t especially interested in moving Williams.

Cleveland is currently deploying Greg Robinson at left tackle, but that could soon change. Robinson either has been or will soon be benched, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Pro Football Focus grades Robinson as the No. 22 tackle among 73 qualifiers, the former No. 2 overall pick doesn’t have a record of above-average production. As a unit, the Browns offensive line ranks 19th in adjusted line yards and 24th in adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders, but ninth in pressure rate allowed.

Williams, 31, has spent all nine years of NFL career in the nation’s capital. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Williams is under contract through next season. He’s due the remainder of a $10.85MM base salary in 2019 and $12.5MM in 2020.

Browns Re-Sign Greg Robinson

September 2nd, 2019 at 12:36pm CST by Zachary Links

One of the most surprising cuts of Sunday has been un-done. The Browns re-signed Greg Robinson, per the league’s transactions wire.

Robinson was, and is, expected to start at left tackle for the Browns. However, in order to reshuffle their roster, they exploited the vested-veteran loophole regarding guaranteed money. Because Robinson was not subject to the waiver wire, they were able to take advantage and come away with the 53-man roster they wanted.

The former No. 2 overall pick has not come close to living up to that draft slot, but he did well in the Browns’ first post-Joe Thomas season. He’ll look to build off of that this year following his 24-hour unemployment stretch.

Browns To Release Greg Robinson

September 1st, 2019 at 3:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Projected to be the Browns’ Week 1 left tackle, Greg Robinson is now off Cleveland’s 53-man roster. The Browns are releasing the former No. 2 overall pick, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. However, this is not expected to be much more than a procedural move.

The Browns intend to re-sign Robinson, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com adds (via Twitter). This move is almost certainly related to the vested-veteran loophole regarding guaranteed money. Robinson is still expected to be Cleveland’s left tackle starter, per Pelissero. This move will allow the Browns to reshuffle their roster without sending a non-vested veteran to the waiver wire.

Robinson re-signed with Cleveland for one year and $7MM earlier this year. He did not beat out rookie UDFA Desmond Harrison to be the team’s initial post-Joe Thomas left tackle starter but did take over that role midseason. Barring a trade, Robinson will be back with the Browns’ first-string line on Sunday.

North Notes: Rudolph, Browns, Packers

March 10th, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Kyle Rudolph isn’t going anywhere. We heard earlier today that the Vikings had asked Rudolph to take a pay-cut, but his management team is pushing back forcefully on those rumors. Rudolph’s agent, Brian Murphy, released a statement saying “despite rumors, Vikings are not in negotiations with Kyle Rudolph, have not asked him to take a pay reduction and have told us explicitly that Rudy will not only be on the team this year, but hopefully for years to come,” via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

It’s a strong statement, and it doesn’t leave much room for doubt. Rudolph is scheduled to make $7.275MM next season and the Vikings have almost no salary cap space, but they’ll apparently have to create room somewhere else. Rudolph has spent the last eight seasons in Minnesota after the Vikings took him in the second round of the 2011 draft. He hasn’t been in the top-tier of tight ends, but he’s been a solid and consistent player, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2017. Rudolph has also been very durable recently, appearing in all 16 games in four straight years.

Here’s more from around the league’s northern divisions:

Greg Robinson signed a one-year deal to return to the Browns a couple of weeks ago, and now we have the details on the contract. Interestingly, his new pact includes $500K in weigh-in bonuses, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Robinson will have weigh-ins around once a month starting in April all the way through the regular season, which suggests Cleveland wasn’t too happy with the weight he played at last year. Robinson’s deal has a base salary of $5.5MM with a $500K signing bonus, $400K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $100K workout bonus. He could face competition from a rookie, but right now the former second overall pick projects as the team’s starting left tackle.
Speaking of the Browns, the status of receiver Breshad Perriman is still up in the air. The former first round pick and draft bust with the Ravens revitalized his career in Cleveland last year, but is now set to be an unrestricted free agent. The “two sides aren’t close” on a deal, but Perriman “wants to be back, and realizes that Baker Mayfield helped him resuscitate his career,” according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Kay Cabot writes that Perriman’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, “wants to let the market” set the price for the 25-year-old receiver. After joining the Browns mid-season, Perriman had 233 yards and two touchdowns the final four weeks of the year.
The Packers have reportedly expressed interest in Chiefs pass-rusher Dee Ford. But trading for Ford, who has been franchise-tagged by Kansas City, may prove difficult for Green Bay. Any team that trades for Ford is likely to try and sign him to a longterm deal, but the Packers don’t usually like longterm deals with a ton of guaranteed money and prefer to structure deals with large signing bonuses instead, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That could be a problem because as Rapoport points out, Ford has the same agent as Le’Veon Bell, and the agent takes a very strong stance on the need for more guaranteed money in deals. None of this means the Packers won’t be able to trade for Ford, but it’s an interesting note nonetheless, and it could force them to turn their focus elsewhere as they look for pass-rushing help.