Pro Football Focus (PFF) contributor Ben Cooper recently highlighted each NFL team's free-agent signing with the most upside. For the San Francisco 49ers, he pointed to a somewhat under-the-radar addition that follows the trade of Deebo Samuel, and as the team awaits Brandon Aiyuk's return from a significant knee injury.
While none of the 49ers' offseason signings seem to offset their numerous departures sufficiently, Cooper believes that adding former Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson could prove valuable.
"With Deebo Samuel off to the Commanders, the 49ers' receiver room is not only set to look different, but it will be far more standard," Cooper wrote. "Samuel's versatility allowed him to handle carries out of the backfield and on end-arounds, and while Demarcus Robinson isn't going to take over in that sense, he will provide some stability for the team's pass-catching corps."
According to Over The Cap, San Francisco signed Robinson, a former Chiefs fourth-round pick, to a two-year, $8 million deal. Last season, he tallied 31 receptions for 505 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 games with the Rams, playing 82% of the offensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference. He added 97 receiving yards across two playoff games.
Pro Football Focus notes that Robinson has dropped only two "on-target" passes in his two seasons with the Rams and has never recorded more than five drops in a single season.
For comparison, Robinson's career drop percentage stands at 6.8%, while Samuel's is 9.3%. Additionally, Robinson has caught 60.9% of his contested targets over the past two seasons, significantly higher than Samuel's 35.3%.
"He can be a capable WR3 for Brock Purdy," Cooper concluded.
