San Francisco 49ers free agency 2018: Top 5 targets
By Joe Romano
Allen Robinson, WR
Former team: Jacksonville Jaguars
One thing the San Francisco 49ers desperately need is a true No. 1 wide receiver. Pierre Garcon was brought in last off-season to help the offense. He is best suited as an exceptional number two, one he is healthy again. The name to watch would be former Jacksonville Jaguars’ wide receiver Allen Robinson.
Robinson missed the entire 2017 season with an ACL tear suffered during the first week of the season. All reports indicate that the former Pro Bowl wide receiver should be healthy prior to the start of next season.
When he is healthy Robinson is an elite option at wide receiver. Even in Jacksonville where the quarterback could be described as shaky at best, Robinson averaged 944 yards per season in his three healthy seasons. That is including his rookie season where he only started eight games, appearing in ten.
In Robinson’s second season after being drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft out of Penn State, he finished top ten in receiving yards with 1,400. He also led the league in touchdown catches with 14.
All of that production came in a run first offense with Blake Bortles at the helm. Imagine what he could do in Kyle Shanhan’s offense with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing him the ball. Garoppolo turned former one trick pony Marquise Goodwin into a legitimate receiving threat during the five game winning streak.
If Robinson’s medicals check out, there should be no hesitation in forking over a similar contract to what the Packers gave DaVante Adams. The 24-year-old Robinson still has room to grow and a contract in the range of four year and $60 million should not even be a question. He would be my first call if I was John Lynch when free agency kicks off.