With Dawand Jones suffering yet another season-ending injury, the Cleveland Browns had to get creative. On paper, Cam Robinson was a solid veteran pickup at a reasonable price. In reality, that wasn't the case at all.
Robinson struggled to keep any of the Browns' quarterbacks out of harm's way. The pocket kept collapsing right before his eyes, with opposing pass rushers turning the corner and getting around him like a cone.
That's why, even with a major need for bodies on the offensive line, there's no way the Browns can afford to talk themselves into bringing him back, or at least not as a starter. The eye test was bad, but the numbers were much worse.
Browns would be playing with fire by re-signing Cam Robinson
According to Sharp Football Analysis, Robinson allowed a 9.1 percent pressure rate last season, which ranked 32nd out of 34 qualified left tackles. He allowed pressure in 2.5 seconds or less on 24.1% of drop backs, which ranked 24th.
Notably, Pro Football Focus's grading system paints a similar picture. Robinson drew a 48.2 PFF grade, which. was 83rd out of 89 eligible tackles. His pass-block grade (56.2) was 73rd, and his run-block grade (48.3) was the eighth-worst in the league.
Last but not least, Pro Football Sports Network ranked him at 185th among offensive linemen and 80th among offensive tackles with an Impact Grade of just 57.1. He drew 14 penalties, the second-most in the league, and gave up eight sacks, ranking 78th out of 89.
Despite these terrible metrics, Spotrac projects Robinson's market value at a whopping $13.1 million. According to Over the Cap, the Browns only have $3.2 million in available cap space, so even considering a reunion would be both unrealistic and a disservice
The Browns will likely aim for either Spencer Fano or Francis Mauigoa with the No. 6 pick. That would leave them scrambling for another tackle, given that Jack Conklin has proven that he cannot be trusted to stay healthy.
Still, with guys like Rasheed Walker, Braxton Jones, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Braden Smith also entering free agency, the Browns should have plenty of options to bolster the offensive line. Regardless of who gets the nod at quarterback, they need to get stronger in the trenches and give the next quarterback a clean pocket.