Getty WR Jalen Reagor was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1st round of the 2020 NFL draft.
With the NFL’s trade deadline approaching on November 2, the talk around certain players swapping teams has naturally amplified, and for the Chicago Bears, one of those players is top wide receiver Allen Robinson II.
The Bears had made a habit of extending solid contributors in recent years (see: Tarik Cohen in 2020, Cody Whitehair in 2019, Eddie Goldman in 2018 and Akiem Hicks in 2017), but that didn’t happen with A-Rob. Instead, Chicago placed the franchise tag on him — a scenario the wideout himself admitted was far from his ideal one. Thus, it’s no surprise to see Robinson the subject of trade rumors, particularly considering his slow start to the season.
In his October 6 column for Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox proposed a trade that would send A-Rob to an NFC team with a promising young quarterback in exchange for a 2020 first-round talent.
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BR Trade Proposal: Allen Robinson for Jalen Reagor?
So far, through four games, Robinson has 13 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown, and he seems to be losing some attention due to the emergence of second-year WR Darnell Mooney, as well. Knox thinks that Robinson could find greener pastures in Philadelphia with the Eagles — and he thinks the Eagles would be willing to give up their 2020 first-round wideout Jalen Reagor in exchange.
Knox proposed a trade in which the Eagles get Robinson and a 2023 sixth-round pick for Reagor. Here’s why he thinks this trade would benefit both teams:
While the Bears could still make a playoff run, they aren’t going to challenge for a championship in 2021. That means they should focus on getting something in return for standout receiver Allen Robinson II. Robinson is playing on the franchise tag and could easily depart in the offseason. While he was a 1,250-yard receiver last year, he no longer appears to be the future at the position in Chicago. That role belongs to second-year man Darnell Mooney…The Philadelphia Eagles could be interested in adding a receiver of Robinson’s caliber to help develop second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts. Philadelphia is getting solid production out of 2021 first-round pick DeVonta Smith and 2020 sixth-round pick Quez Watkins, but 2020 first-rounder Jalen Reagor continues to underwhelm for the Eagles. Flipping him for Robinson and a late-round pick could help them recoup value in case he winds up being a bust.
One thing Knox didn’t note was that the Bears don’t have a 2023 pick in the 6th round anymore — they traded it to Miami in exchange for Jakeem Grant this week — but they do have a 2022 6th rounder, so this trade is still hypothetically possible. And it should stay a hypothetical.
The Eagles drafted Reagor out of TCU with the 21st overall pick last year, and he has disappointed so far. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound wide receiver caught 148 passes for 2,248 yards (that’s 15.2 yards per reception) and 22 touchdowns in 39 games at Texas Christian.
Since entering the league, though, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the second-year receiver. He has played in 15 games with the Eagles, starting 14, and has caught 45 passes for 512 yards and two scores in that span. He also returned a punt for a TD. A ligament tear in his thumb limited him a bit during his rookie campaign, but other than that, he has no major red flags on the injury front.
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Would Reagor Be Better for Justin Fields Than Robinson?
Robinson is clearly the superior receiver, but his agent Brandon Parker is on Twitter pointing out the wideout’s lack of targets so far this season, and you have to wonder if A-Rob’s days aren’t numbered in Chicago? The team’s refusal to lock him down with a long-term deal may have left a bitter taste in his mouth, and there will definitely be other suitors when he hits the free agent market in 2022.
The idea of adding Reagor to the mix for rookie QB Justin Fields to throw to is intriguing. The Bears wouldn’t have to pay him much — he’ll be on his rookie deal for the next three seasons with a fifth-year option after that — and fresh starts do help many talented players.
It’s too early to tell if Reagor will become the player many thought he’d be entering the draft, but sometimes it takes young players a few years to get acclimated to the league. If Robinson and the Bears were going to agree about his worth, it likely would have happened already. That said, this would not be an ideal trade for the Bears.
If Chicago can find a way to make it work with Robinson, the team absolutely should, and if the Bears are still at loggerheads with him, it can’t hurt to explore a few possibilities. Just not this one.
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