The Chicago Bears went cheap when it came to Allen Robinson contract extension talk.
Allen Robinson will play what looks to be his final season with the Chicago Bears on a one-year deal worth $17.88 million.
Robinson was one of six players who will play on the franchise tag during the 2021 NFL season. The former second-round pick out of Penn State was a Pro Bowler with the 2015 Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite mediocre quarterback play throughout his football career, college and pro, Robinson has gone over 1,000 yards three times in the NFL, including the last two seasons.
While it is understood he is not a top-10 receiver, what he was asking for on a new deal with the Bears shows how cheap the organization really is. They finally got a promising franchise quarterback in Justin Fields, but are not willing to pay market value for their No. 1 receiver. He wanted $20 million annually and the Bears wanted to pay $16 million. How embarrassing.
Robinson has every right to ball out in his contract year to go play somewhere else in 2022.
Chicago Bears went painfully cheap when it came to extending Allen Robinson
While the Robinson’s extension status was a bit of a controversial one among Bears fans on Twitter, the consensus is 2021 will be his last year in Chicago. Robinson is entering his age-28 season out of Penn State. Though he is not a perennial Pro Bowler at the wide receiver position, Robinson has long been one of the most underrated wideouts in the NFL for the last few years.
If he were to go to a team that consistently got top-12 quarterback play, Robinson would be a fantasy football darling and one of the best receivers in football. Teams like the Indianapolis Colts, the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers should be at the front of the list when it comes to adding him in 2022 NFL free agency. The Bears had an opportunity here, but they totally blew it.
If the Bears will not pay Robinson what he is worth on the open market, then somebody else will.