Allen Robinson isn’t “opposed” to staying put, but there’s still work to be done. This week, the wide receiver said that he has yet to be given a “viable option” from the Bears. 
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“My personal opinion, if something could possibly work? Yes,” Robinson said (via Tyler Dunne of Go Long). “I’m not opposed to being back in Chicago by any means. I’ve even expressed that over the last couple of years — wanting to be the all-time leading receiver in Chicago which, I believe, I’m under 2,000 yards away from that. With all that being said, unfortunately we’ve come to what seems to be a fork in the road. But not even a fork. We haven’t even been given a viable option to be able to do those things that we want to do without sacrificing a ridiculous amount pretty much for the rest of my career.”
One option for the Bears would be to use the franchise tag on Robinson, but that wouldn’t be especially “viable” for either party. Robinson doesn’t want to get tagged, and he’s been vocal about it. Meanwhile, the Bears would have a tough time fitting Robinson into the budget at the WR 1-5 average. The Bears are currently projected to be $10MM over the 2021 cap, so key players would need to be cut in order to balance the books.
On the flipside, head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace could be fighting for their jobs this year. Even if it’s not necessarily a good idea for the long term, the Bears could be inclined to pay Robinson what he wants. Robinson says he’s the market’s top wide receiver, which would put him in $20MM/year territory.
Darn good WR. Hope he finds a good landing spot to continue on with his career.
None of the teams that have the money to pay him currently have an NFL-caliber QB on their roster.
With all the difficulties he’s had, I still believe Sam Darnold is an NFL-caliber QB and could improve under a 49ers style offense. I think the Jets should keep #2 and take Penei Sewell to provide another scary bookend to the OL on the opposite side of Becton. Bringing Allen Robinson on board would be a tremendous get.
Fully support that idea man. I’ve been saying to overpay for another running back like hell again. Perhaps Jones from gb? Mack from the colts? Get that man some help!
What? The Browns have a great cap situation. I’m not a fan of Mayfield, but he’s certainly ‘NFL caliber’. The Bengals (Burrow), Ravens, and even the Bucs could add him.
link to spotrac.com
I sure wish a stand up guy like Robinson would keep his business close to the vest. He and his agent know full well that the Bears, like most teams, have had to wait to find out what the new cap will be for 2021 before they can make those decisions. Especially teams that are tight against the cap. He doesn’t need to do this good guy/bad guy BS.
Probably easier said than done when you get asked about it daily. ARob is about as mild mannered as any #1 WR. He doesn’t come off as a diva in any way.
He’s just trying to get the contract his play deserves. Most guys only get one chance to set themselves & their children up for life.
The bears have handed out a lot of money to guys who haven’t had the impact on winning that Allen provides. He knows it. They know it.
You are correct that there isn’t a lot Pace can do right now, but it isn’t as though they didn’t know this was coming.
I’d be frustrated too.
Good WRs don’t usually win anything. Easiest position to replace especially good WRs who will not ever fight for a ball.
Adkuchnan,
Allen Robinson’s first free agent contract with the Bears paid him $42 million dollars. Unless he’s a complete moron, he and his entire family are ALREADY set for life.
I really hate this “gotta get set for life” narrative. The minimum NFL salary would set a normal person up for life after a 3-4 years, easily. That line of thinking makes me throw up in my mouth
Yes, the Bears paid him big once- a year after he blew out his knee. They have to get a QB before anything else…And reinforce the O- line.. and try and find a way to keep Robinson and add another receiving weapon as well. A lot to do with little room to do it.
Bears bungled this one bad. Hard to see this ending any way other than a tag and trade.
Nope tag him and if he doesn’t sign oh well and then repeat and rinse.
If he’s willing to play on the tag then yeah you should keep him, let him play, and try to work something out over the next year. But if he’s gonna hold out (which I suspect he will), then you’re better off trading him while you still have some leverage. Once these things get ugly it rarely works out well for the team. And if he’s not gonna play for you, you need to get value in return for him.
班
@rondon the salary cap came out yesterday. $180 million.
No, that’s the floor… not the cap.
Yessir, I saw that. Just thinking it’s gonna take a minute to figure it all out. Hanging over it all is the need to find a solid QB.
I feel like Baltimore is the best spot for him.
Allen Robinson would be great in New England
Lol and who is going to throw to him
Well, who’s been throwing to him in Chicago?
Washington needs playmakers on offense. Going back to Jacksonville would be cool too. They got the money and he would be great with Trevor Lawrence.
Arizona, calling it now
Cut Jimmy Graham (8m), Bobbie Massie (6+), Buster Skrine (2+), Charles Leno (6+), and Javon Wims (1M)- That clears 23M giving room to sign tag/extend ARob. Kyle Fuller and Akeem Hicks have contracts that can be restructured to get the $ for a QB (Mitch, Fitz, Jameis or Mariota).
They have a draft class that could add:
LT/QB/WR/SS/RT/ILB
The article stated that Pace could be fighting for his job. It didn’t say he wanted to surpass Bill O’brien as the most inept GM in recent memory by taking the actions your suggesting.
Lmao what are you talking about? All of those actions are reasonable, and I’m pretty sure every one of those cuts happens except for Leno. Draft you just gotta take BPA, but I would definitely be targeting o-line round 1, and they’ll be looking for defensive depth and a WR there too.
As you say, I think those guys will get cut, except for Leno. I don’t however believe that in Pace’s do or die year, he’ll settle for any of those QB choices.
Don’t know about the rest, but Leno bounced back from a down 2019 per PFF (even if they graded him 30th among all OT’s, left and right, starters and back-ups), doesn’t turn 30 until mid-season, hasn’t missed a game in six years and has only the 14th highest cap hit among LT’s. Contrary to PFF, I’d extend Leno instead of trying to “improve upon” him.
I think Robinson is going, but I’d prefer a tag and trade. Miami, the Jets and Jacksonville all have later first round picks and he’d be very valuable to all of them. Let the bidding begin.