Getty WR Allen Robinson II of the Chicago Bears.
Any doubts Allen Robinson would be at training camp this summer have been erased. The Chicago Bears No. 1 wide receiver released a hype video featuring snippets of his jaw-dropping offseason workouts just an hour or so before Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times broke the news that A-Rob would, in fact, be at voluntary minicamps beginning June 15.
After missing OTAs, Robinson will be at Halas Hall this week, as well as in late July, when the Bears begin their training camp on July 27. The caption the team’s top wideout included along with the video also strongly suggested he plans on being there:
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A-Rob Had Previously Refused to Comment on Training Camp Plans
When he was asked in late April whether he planned on attending training camp or any team activities this summer, Robinson wouldn’t say. “I’m not really going to get into that,” the Bears receiver said at the time, via Mark Potash of the Sun-Times. “My approach to the season for myself and for what I want to accomplish as a player [has] never changed. I found a great routine from the time the season ended until Week 1, and that has never changed.”
A-Rob also spoke about what his focus has been so far this offseason.
“Over the past six weeks, I had great training blocks with my trainer,” Robinson said. “I’m just trying to build upon that every day. Trying to get better. Trying to focus on other things that I wasn’t able to accomplish [last season] and keep trying to perfect my craft in order to get better. Fortunately — contract or no contract — I’m in position to do things that no receiver has done throughout the history of the Chicago Bears. Being one of the first franchises and being around for a long time, there are certain things out there to be had. And for that, I’m very excited.”
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Could the Justin Fields Factor Keep A-Rob Around?
The Bears placed the franchise tag on Robinson this spring after the two sides could not come to a long-term deal last season. Chicago and Robinson had been in talks about an extension last September, but after those discussions stalled, and nothing has happened since other than a little back and forth.
At one point last season, Robinson deleted all things Bears-related from his social media pages, but the talented wideout has never held out, and he wound up signing the franchise tag he initially said he didn’t want.
With Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles the only guys throwing him passes in Chicago, Robinson has still produced. He has 3,151 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns over his three seasons in the Windy City, and with Andy Dalton and Justin Fields joining the team this offseason, he’ll now have arguably the best two quarterbacks he has ever had a chance to work with.
Fields, specifically, has loads of potential, with his much-lauded deep ball and solid pedigree. Could the chance to play with an up and coming signal-caller like Fields play a part in A-Rob’s decision when contract negotiations resume again? It seems likely, particularly if a chemistry develops between them. Robinson and the rookie quarterback should both take the field together for the first time on Tuesday, June 15, so we’ll get a glimpse soon enough of what kind of tandem they could potentially make.
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