The window for NFL clubs to place the franchise player tag on would-be unrestricted free agents officially opened on Feb. 23, bringing the contract status of Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson back into focus.
The Bears failed to reach a long-term extension with Robinson last season, and it’s anyone’s guess if GM Ryan Pace ever made a good-faith effort to do so. Robinson grew increasingly frustrated with the Bears as the 2020 season marched on, and that frustration may reach a boiling point if his ability to market his services on the open market is prevented by the franchise tag.
But this is business, after all, and the Bears have the right to use the franchise tag if it’s the only way to keep Robinson in town (assuming Pace and the front office wants to keep him around). It would be shocking if Robinson was set free after a career-best 102-catch season, an accomplishment that deserves more praise than it has considering Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky were the quarterbacks throwing passes.
According to a recent NFL.com ranking of unrestricted free-agents who are strong candidates to receive the franchise tag, Robinson ranked as a ‘no-brainer’ alongside Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and fellow receivers Kenny Golladay (Lions) and Chris Godwin (Buccaneers).
However, using the tag on Robinson could be more of a strategic play by Pace than an indicator of his willingness to pay A-Rob top-of-the-market money.
Keep an eye on a potential tag-and-trade with Robinson. Either way, Chicago can’t let its best offensive player leave for nothing, no matter how much he and Bears fans share frustration regarding the team’s quarterback situation. Chicago general manager Ryan Pace has many difficult decisions to make on his veterans this year, but this shouldn’t be one of them.
It’s sad that Robinson’s contract situation has even gotten this far. He should’ve been signed to a multi-year extension before the start of the 2020 season and. If he was, Robinson would be a big part of this year’s free-agent recruiting and certainly would’ve had a strong voice in the team’s strategy at quarterback.
Now, it’s a game of wait-and-see for the Bears’ most important offensive player.
