Robinson relishes Rams' reunion

[RamWraith]

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
Monday, Sep. 05 2005

Jeff Robinson knew there were a few remaining veterans in St. Louis from Super
Bowls past. But then he looked around the Rams locker room Monday and saw
Bruce, Holt, Little, Pace, Timmerman, Nutten, Wilkins and more.

"I didn't realize it was going to be a reunion," Robinson joked. "It was like
the five-year reunion from the Super Bowl team."

Actually, the Rams are now six seasons removed from their Super Bowl
championship team, but you get the point. With the addition of Robinson, who
signed with the team Monday, there are a dozen members of the 1999 NFL
championship team now playing for the Rams.

"It's good to see those guys," Robinson said. "We all know each other. We all
know what we're going to get from each other, and that's going to be important
in winning games."

Robinson, a tight end and long snapper, joins offensive guard Tom Nutten,
offensive tackle Matt Willig and tight end Roland Williams as 1999 alums who
have rejoined the team since the end of the 2004 season.

In putting together his 2005 roster, coach Mike Martz has made an effort to add
experienced players, particularly those who have played in Super Bowls and
playoff games. So, he jumped at the chance to add Robinson when he was cut by
Dallas on Saturday.

"These guys have played at a very high level," Martz said. "And they're not
done. Now, if they were done, that would be different. They're not done. All
these guys give you that veteran leadership.

"We've been a very young team for a few years now. And a young team kind of
lacks direction. I think the leadership that comes with guys that have been in
the league playing at such a high level is invaluable."

Robinson, 35, was part of Dick Vermeil's first free-agency class with the Rams
in 1997, coming to the team from Denver. He was a long snapper and defensive
end when he arrived in St. Louis. But after starting tight end Ernie Conwell
suffered a career-threatening knee injury in 1998, Robinson began helping the
scout team in practice. He performed so well that he started working as an
extra tight end in goal-line and short-yardage situations in games.

In 1999, with Conwell still working his way back from the injury, Robinson was
switched to tight end permanently. In spot duty at tight end, Robinson caught
22 passes, with three touchdowns, from 1999 through the 2001 season.

"Jeff was a very integral part of the team, obviously, when we had the good
runs there in the Super Bowls," Martz said. "He's an outstanding tight end, and
he just happens to be a good long snapper, too. But he's here to be a tight end
for us."

After playing most of his career at close to NFL minimum-salary levels,
Robinson couldn't pass up the chance for financial security following the Rams'
2001 Super Bowl runner-up season. He signed a four-year, $4.8 million
free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

"I always laugh whenever someone says it's not about the money," Robinson said.
"It's about the money. I had to do it. And I'm glad I did. It really put me in
a different kind of position financially and for the rest of my life. It's
something I had to do."

In Dallas, Robinson's streak of 144 consecutive regular-season games played
ended in 2002, when he missed the entire season because of reconstructive
surgery on his knee following a training-camp injury.

Robinson resumed his flawless work as a long snapper in 2003 and 2004. At tight
end, he was used exclusively in goal-line and short-yardage situations. He
caught only four passes for 10 yards in those two seasons under coach Bill
Parcells, but all four grabs went for touchdowns.

This season, the Cowboys are going with Jason Witten, Dan Campbell, and Brett
Pierce at tight end. Undrafted rookie Jon Condo is handling the long snapping.
Cowboys observers say Condo isn't the long snapper that Robinson is, but. ...

"He's a million dollars cheaper than I was," Robinson said.

Before his release, Robinson was scheduled to make $1.1 million in base salary.
He was so sure that his days were numbered in Dallas that he has had his house
on the market there since spring.

Robinson didn't stay unemployed for long. Just an hour or so after his name
showed up on the league transaction wire Saturday, the Rams had him on the
line. So, here he is, back for NFL season No. 13, and another go-around with
the Rams.

"I wasn't just going to go anywhere," Robinson said. "I made that deal with my
wife, that I wasn't just going to go to XYZ city just to snap or whatever. I
was going to hang it up. But this was such a great opportunity. And to come
back here was something that was totally unexpected."

[ramhard]

With Robinson's snapping experience, does that mean that the Rams can use cut Chris Massey as the long snapper, freeing up another slot? Or do you play it safe and keep Massey and have JR as insurance? If nothing else gives you some flexibility during the year to play with the roster (can make Massey inactive some games for positions of need).

[ZigZagRam]

With Robinson's snapping experience, does that mean that the Rams can use cut Chris Massey as the long snapper, freeing up another slot?

Tha answer:

"Jeff was a very integral part of the team, obviously, when we had the good
runs there in the Super Bowls," Martz said. "He's an outstanding tight end, and
he just happens to be a good long snapper, too. But he's here to be a tight end
for us."

I think that means no. Besides, this will probably by Jeff Robinson's last hoorah. We'll need a good long snapper (like Massey) for next season and beyond.