The first player Bob Quinn ever drafted as general manager of the Detroit Lions was left tackle Taylor Decker in 2016 with the No. 16 overall pick. Quinn's second pick was defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson out of Alabama with the No. 46 overall pick in the second round of that draft.
Robinson's played in 58 games over the last four seasons in Detroit with 37 starts. He's averaged 43 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and four passes defended over that stretch -- Solid numbers over a four-year span.
Robinson, 24, enters free agency this offseason with the potential to control his future employment and seek a significant pay raise in the process.
"I'm not worried about any of that right now," Robinson said earlier this month. "That stuff happens in March, so I'm just taking it day by day."
Robinson played in 13 games this past season (nine starts), missing three games due to injury. He was good against the run, per Pro Football Focus analytics, but didn't offer much disruption as a pass rusher, which has been his career profile over the last four seasons.
"I think I did alright," Robinson said of his 2019 season. "I think I needed to finish with everyone else here so we can get a lot more wins and be in the playoffs.
"It definitely makes you hungry not being in the playoffs. You're kind of just angry about the season and the things you didn't do and wanted to do and not being able to."
Robinson joins Mike Daniels, Darius Kilgo and Jamie Meder (restricted) as Lions interior defenders slated to hit free agency this offseason. Robinson and guard Graham Glasgow are probably Detroit's highest profile players scheduled to become free agents in 2020.
It's unclear at this point if Robinson is in the team's future plans. Along with Detroit's other interior defenders slated for free agency, veteran Damon Harrison Sr. is contemplating retirement. Robinson and Harrison have been Detroit's top run-stopping defensive tackles over the past couple seasons.
Does Robinson want to be back in Detroit?
"I mean, I love Detroit," he said. "Just taking it day by day right now. Just enjoying the time with the guys."
We'll see come March how things play out in free agency with Robinson and the rest of Detroit's defensive front.
