Getty Chicago Bears WR Allen Robinson has had an interesting start to the season.
Would the Chicago Bears actually trade away their best offensive player? Andrew Erickson of Pro Football Focus thinks that if the Bears get off to a disappointing start this season, they could place underrated wide receiver Allen Robinson on the trade block. Robinson signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Bears in 2018, and he has made it no secret he would like to remain in Chicago.
Contract talks with Robinson haven’t progressed in the manner that many Bears fans had hoped for, however — although the Bears tend to re-sign their best guys in and around September, and that’s likely what they’ll do with Robinson. But if by some chance the team decides not to extend him prior to the start of the season, PFF thinks A-Rob would be a very attractive trade chip — and they’re not wrong.
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PFF on Robinson: ‘A WR Can Only Put Up With Poor Quarterback Play for So Long…’
Robinson will turn 27 at the end of August, and he will be entering his seventh season. He is a seasoned vet with incredible range who has never played with an above-average quarterback. He recovered from a devastating ACL tear at the start of his 2017 season with the Jaguars, and in his two seasons with the Bears, he has caught 153 passes for 1,901 yards and 11 touchdowns. Clearly still in his prime, Robinson could very easily see another season like his 2015 campaign, where he had 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 scores — with capable quarterback play, that is.
PFF thinks that if the Bears should start off slow this season, teams in need of No. 1 wideouts could approach them with trade offers for A-Rob:
“Robinson still has not received a contract offer from the Bears with his deal expiring at the end of the season. That could lead him to play out the season and sign elsewhere. It’s hard to blame him — a WR can only put up with poor quarterback play for so long. If the Bears start the season slowly, wide receiver-needy teams will be calling the Bears for Robinson, and considering the team might be in the market for a quarterback in 2021, it could use all the draft picks it can get.”
Would Bears Be Willing to Trade Robinson?
The likelihood is that Chicago will try to work out a new deal with Robinson soon, probably before the start of the season. If that doesn’t happen, though, everything could be on the table, including a potential trade. PFF was dead on when referencing Chicago’s current draft situation — they’re in desperate need of picks, and sooner or later, they’re going to need to draft another quarterback. If teams should call Ryan Pace and offer a first-rounder, or an attractive package in exchange for Robinson, the Bears would certainly listen.
You do have to wonder how much the Bears’ current quarterback quandary may play into Robinson’s decision about his future with the team, however. Neither Nick Foles nor Mitch Trubisky look to be the permanent solution at the position, and Robinson may decide to try his luck on the open market next season. Still, all signs point to the Bears extending him soon.
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Analyst Suggests Bears May Trade Top WR to Acquire Draft Picks