Los Angeles Rams Are On A Crusade To Get Pricey Wide Receiver Allen Robinson Into The Offensive Mix

The request hasn’t yet ricocheted through the halls of the Los Angeles Rams practice facility in Thousands Oaks (Calif.) for a wide receiver that cost them $46.5 million.

Maybe it should.

“Paging Allen Robinson, Allen Robinson please pick up the Los Angeles Rams courtesy phone.”

Robinson isn’t missing in action, as much as he’s missing through his inaction. L.A.’s rich commitment to the talented free-agent pass-catcher in the offseason has produced the fireworks of a sparkler.

Originally seen as a dynamite complement to All–Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Robinson has been a dud. He’s caught nine passes for 95 yards, with a touchdown, but he’s been targeted only 18 times in 16 quarters.

What gives as the Rams (2-2) prepare for the Dallas Cowboys (3-1) to visit on Sunday?

Even in these inflationary times, the Rams are getting little bang for their big bucks that they funneled toward Robinson in a three-year deal.

The reasons are varied for Robinson being an after-thought in the Rams’ passing attack.

L.A.’s offensive line has been shuffled like a deck of cards, with injuries upending any thoughts of consistency. With the lack of protection up front, hurried quarterback Matthew Stafford (six interceptions) is often forced to lean on the quick, or underneath routes, much more than he prefers.

That usually points him toward Kupp. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but the reason behind Robinson’s acquisition was to put some diversity in the passing game.

Stafford, who was sacked seven times in Monday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers, was often faced with hot reads that mandates the ball leaving his hand promptly.

That doesn’t lead to Stafford locating Robinson on the deeper patterns. Or Stafford going completely through his reads before finding a comforting target.

That has Rams coach Sean McVay tinkering with how Robinson is being utilized. It’s not that Robinson is running the wrong routes, it just might be they’re the incorrect ones to get him involved, considering the Rams’ challenges along the line.

“It’s been a struggle overall,’’ McVay said of getting Robinson involved.

Plus, the running game is sputtering like an old jalopy. That complicates the Rams’ ability to extend drives and reach out to Robinson by having more plays to call.

L.A.’s task to get Robinson integrated won’t be a breeze this week against a Cowboys front seven that can easily reach the pocket without blitzing. It features more than linebacker Micha Parsons (he has four of the team’s 15 sacks) as its lone star.

“He’s special,’’ McVay said, with Parsons spearheading a unit that paces the NFL in overall pressure rate (41.7 percent).

The Rams can’t wait until they can shower Robinson with accolades, something they seldom did during the season’s first quarter.