Allen Robinsons contract circumstance is a tricky one, and not simply for the typical reasons. Robinson is in the last year of the three-year, $42 million free-agent offer he signed with Chicago in 2018.
However while these circumstances occur all the time in the NFL, Robinsons is complicated for a couple of unusual factors. His next contract will be his 3rd offer considering that being drafted in the second round in 2014, and groups are often leery of investing huge on 3rd agreements. Normally second contracts are the big one, coming off novice offers, and unless its for a star quarterback, anything the team gets after that is gravy.
Robinson, nevertheless, is distinct because his second contract was brief. Coming off a 2017 season in Jacksonville in which he tore his ACL in the first video game, Robinson got a three-year deal with Chicago instead of the more normal four-year or five-year deal totally free representatives tend to get. It made sense on both ends. The team wanted to see him healthy, and since he thought he would be, he desired to have the ability to strike totally free firm again before too much time had passed.
The Lions Kenny Golladay, whos in the last year of his novice contract and looking for his own huge extension, turns 26 in November. Robinson is just somewhat more than two months older than Golladay, thus his contention that he ought to be looked at as a second-contract guy.
Keenan Allen, age 28, just signed a third contract with the Chargers for 4 years and a reported $20 million per year, and dont believe thats not on Robinsons mind here. Robinson (98 catches for 1,147 backyards and seven goals) and Allen (104-1,199 -6) had similar analytical lines a season earlier, and Allen has also had injuries in his past.
Looming, as it often does in the groups favor, is the franchise tag, which Chicago might utilize to hold Robinson off the market next March if he doesnt sign. And with the income cap expected to drop to $175 million as an outcome of lost 2020 earnings due to the coronavirus pandemic, the franchise tag for wide receivers is predicted to be around $15.7 million next year.
Robinson does not desire to be franchised. If Robinson were to tell the Bears he wouldnt play on the franchise tag, the $42 million he has made over the previous 3 years certainly supports the legitimacy of such a threat.
Obviously, totally free agency is no warranty either. The minimized income cap will have an influence on what players can get on the free market next spring, as potentially might a deep class of draft wide receivers. ESPNs Mel Kiper Jr. projects 5 wide receivers in the preliminary of the 2021 NFL draft and states a couple of more could get into that conversation, along with what he calls “a solid group of second-rounders.” Teams searching for receiver aid could, if they see depth in the draft, decide to invest somewhere else in free company.
Allen Robinson captured 5 passes for 74 backyards on 9 targets in the Bears opening-week win. Photo by Steven King/Icon SportswireSo, how does this turn out? Robinsons choice, by all accounts, is to do an extension with the Bears and remain in Chicago. If they dont desire to pay him what he believes hes worth, sources state he has actually raised the concept of the Bears trading him to another group that will– or at least one where he might be able to put up more excellent numbers in advance of totally free firm. Robinson and his agent have not officially asked for approval to talk to other teams about trades, however the negotiations have reached the point in which Robinson is disappointed and questioning if that may be the very best alternative.
Robinson is eminently tradeable. Hes making $10.9 million in wage this year. If a team acquired him midway through the season, he d cost it only $5.45 million against the salary cap.
Robinson is closely viewing the situations with Golladay in Detroit and Chris Godwin in Tampa Bay. Should one or both of them get to Beckham/Hill numbers, it might help Robinsons case. In the case of Robinson and the Bears, there are complicating elements that other scenarios like this do not always have.
The rest of the possible large receiver trade market
If Robinson winds up on the trade market, he might not be the only option for receiver-needy teams. Carolinas Curtis Samuel, Cincinnatis A.J. Green and John Ross, Jacksonvilles Dede Westbrook, Houstons Will Fuller, Indianapolis T.Y. Hilton and Tennessees Corey Davis are all intriguing gamers in the last years of their contracts whose teams have depth and other alternatives at the position.
Their availability could depend on how their teams different seasons clean, but those are simply some names to enjoy on ending offers. Clevelands Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry arent on expiring offers, however if the Browns collapse and it gets ugly there, youll hear their names brought up.
2 more notes on my mind this week:
Still the exact same Cam Newton
Norv Turner was the Carolina Panthers offending coordinator in 2018 and 2019. He felt quarterback Cam Newton was playing well before his injury in 2018 and was looking forward to building on that before Newton got injured early last season. Based on his experience training Newton, Turner wasnt amongst those surprised that the marital relationship between Newton and Patriots coach Bill Belichick is going well so far.
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” Cam wishes to be a great gamer, and if he understands that the important things youre informing him will assist him be an excellent gamer, then hes all-in,” Turner said in a phone interview recently. “You know, Cam, because he dresses the way he does in interview and all that, people consider him as being something hes not. Hes an all-in guy. Hes going to do it the method you want him to do it. And if you dont realize that, all you need to do is hear the way the players talk about him, which is nothing but respect. I wouldnt bet versus him or Belichick.”
Enjoy out in Washington
More than one scout to whom I spoke this week raised the Washington Football Teams front seven as an underreported Week 1 story. The focus was on the collapse by the banged-up Eagles, but theres some thought that they will not be the last group to struggle in the 2nd half of games versus Jack Del Rios defense this season.
Washington has prepared a defensive lineman in the first round in each of the previous four drafts– Jonathan Allen in 2017, Daron Payne in 2018, Montez Sweat in 2019 and Chase Young, who may be the very best of them all, in April. Include in 2011 first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan and you have 5 first-round linemen in the very same defense.
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” They can bring them in waves,” one NFC scout said. “The skill they have, if you can keep everybody fresh, its going to show up late in games.”
The concern in Washington is on the offending side of the ball, where second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins & & Co. most likely require at least a year of development behind a work-in-progress offending line. Dont be amazed if the defense keeps them in enough games that, even if they arent a contender themselves, theyre a hard group for the competitors to play.
Robinson is in the final year of the three-year, $42 million free-agent offer he signed with Chicago in 2018. Keenan Allen, age 28, just signed a third agreement with the Chargers for 4 years and a reported $20 million per year, and dont think thats not on Robinsons mind here. Looming, as it typically does in the groups favor, is the franchise tag, which Chicago might use to hold Robinson off the market next March if he doesnt sign. If Robinson were to tell the Bears he wouldnt play on the franchise tag, the $42 million he has actually made over the past 3 years definitely supports the authenticity of such a threat.
Robinson and his agent have not officially asked for approval to speak to other groups about trades, but the settlements have actually reached the point in which Robinson is frustrated and questioning if that might be the best choice.
