Bear Digest

Allen Robinson Era Ending Quietly

Deadline passes without another franchise tag for veteran Bears receiver, as expected.
Gene Chamberlain|
Allen Robinson Era Ending Quietly
Allen Robinson Era Ending Quietly

A year ago at this time Allen Robinson was about to get the franchise tag to play in the 2021 season.

The franchise deadline came and went Tuesday afternoon without Robinson being tagged a second time, though it definitely wasn't expected. Even he had said during an appearance on ESPN's "Keshawn, JWill and Max" that he didn't feel the interest existed for this after 38 catches for 410 yards and only one touchdown.

"It was one of the more frustrating seasons that I had, especially kind of stepping into the season, you know, coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard season," he told ESPN. "And as I'm going through the season seeing some of the game plans and I'm not really involced and not seeing someof the game plans and I'm not really involved and not doing the things I had done in the past."

After consecutive seasons of at least 1,147 yards and 200 total catches, Robinson suddenly became an alternative Bears target instead of the main focus of their passing game. And after three seasons as the main target in Chicago he'll likely leave. ESPN on Tuesday reported he will enter free agency so there will be no last-second attempt to sign him to a lower contract. 

With Robinson likely to be headed elsewhere next week as a free agent the Bears will have a gaping hole to fill at the X-receiver position. 

Ideally, filling it in the draft works out better than looking in free agency, where the costs run high. However, it's never advisable to count on a receiver in the first year and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Bears try to find a receiver to cover the position in the second or third phase of free agency, as GM Ryan Poles calls it.

It's obvious they're considering Darnell Mooney as their top receiver for now.

"He's hungry to be special," Poles said of Mooney at the combine. "I'm always looking for guys that, they're just raising their own bar in terms of where they want to go. He wants to be special. You can feel that in him."

The team has many needs, so even finding a receiver who is a bit higher priced instead of leaning on the draft might be possible, but if Mooney truly is to be the No. 1 receiver then they would be more likely to explore that secondary market. 

A dwindling supply of veteran receivers in free agency might make a big receiver signing more difficult, anyway. Receivers like Davante Adams, Chris Godwin and Mike Williams are tagged and it's been reported the Dallas Cowboys might reach a contract extension with Michael Gallup.

As for Robinson, rumors of potential interest from teams like the Lions, Jets, Jaguars and a few others,  began floating around after the 2021 season ended.

Robinson caught 293 passes for 3,561 yards with a 12.2-yard average in Chicago with 18 touchdowns. He had 202 catches for 2,848 yards and 22 TDs in four Jacksonville seasons, although the last of those ended in the 2017 season opener due to a torn ACL.

Robinson caught 293 passes for 3,561 yards with a 12.2-yard average in Chicago with 18 touchdowns. He had 202 catches for 2,848 yards and 22 TDs in four Jacksonville seasons, although the last of those ended in the 2017 season opener due to a torn ACL.

It wouldn't be surprising for Robinson to look around for the team with the best passer available after a career in which he has chased passes from the likes of Blake Bortles, Chad Henne, Mitchell Trubusiky, Chase Daniel, Tyler Bray, Nick Foles, Andy Dalton and Justin Fields.

Because of the dwindling supply of top receivers in free agency, it's possible Robinson could wind up commanding the kind of top dollar he wanted from the Bears.

He made $17.9 million last season while playing on the franchise tag, at 120% of his previous year's salary.

The only players to receive franchise tags this year were Tampa Bay wide receiver Chris Godwin, Miami tight end Mike Gesicki, Kansas City tackle Orlando Brown, Jacksonville tackle Cam Robinson, Green Bay receiver Davante Adams, Dallas tight end Dalton Schultz, Cleveland tight end David Njoku and Cincinnati safety Jessie Bates.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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