T
he 2025 NFL season hasn’t even fully started yet and the possibility that the San Francisco 49ers will begin the year shorthanded is a high possibility. Signing a two-year deal with the team in free agency, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson will play a pivotal role on the offense, with the 49ers desperate to replace Deebo Samuel.
But, his contributions may have to wait as Robinson is facing a three game suspension due to violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The May 8th report states that the suspension in question dates back to his time with the Los Angeles Rams, where he was arrested for a DUI last November.
“I think it was a bad decision he made. I don’t think that makes him a bad person,” Rams head coach, Sean McVay said to ESPN back in November. “And I do believe this is something that with the words that he said, our guys will learn from it, and hopefully nobody’s ever going to repeat something like this.”
How Robinson’s Suspension Could Impact The 49ers
With the team facing the possibility of not having Robinson for the first three games, that means that players like Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and rookie, Jordan Watkins, will all have to step up in his place. This season will look a lot different for the 49ers, who after losing Samuel and most likely being without Brandon Aiyuk for part of the year as he recovers from a torn ACL, are scrambling to establish a core group in the wide receiver room.
But even if Robinson were to miss some time, the depth that the 49ers have in the wide receiver room should be more than enough to get them through the first three games. In addition to Pearsall, Cowing and Watkins, Jauan Jennings, who had a breakout season for the 49ers in 2024, will most likely begin the season as the No. 1 pass catcher and if last season was any indication, Jennings could look to keep taking the league by storm.
Robinson’s Career at a Glance
After spending three seasons at Florida, where he amassed 105 catches for 1,353 yards and nine touchdowns in total, Robinson was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2016 draft. And in six season with the Chiefs, despite never becoming a starter, he was a key contributor to the team’s Super Bowl LIV championship team in 2019, catching 32 passes for 449 yards and four touchdowns. Following the 2021 season where he played in all 17 games for the Chiefs, Robinson signed a free agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, his time in Vegas was short lived as he was cut at the end of the 2022 preseason before signing with the Baltimore Ravens ahead of week one. His lone season in Baltimore saw him become a serviceable role player for John Harbaugh’s offense as he caught 48 passes for 458 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson then signed a one-year deal with the Rams prior to 2023 and after a good season, he was resigned to another one year deal prior to 2024.
49ers Free Agent Signing Facing a Three-Game Suspension: Report