The Chicago Bears took a calculated risk on wide receiver Allen Robinson when they offered him $14 million a year over the next three seasons. He was dominant in 2015 but the past two seasons weren’t ideal for him. He regressed somewhat in 2016 and then tore his ACL before 2017 could even get started. It’s led many to start thinking he might’ve been a one-year wonder.
Anybody with an ounce of competitiveness in their blood would hate hearing that. Robinson hasn’t made any such feelings public. He’s maintained an air of professionalism about how his time in Jacksonville ended. That can’t have been easy. The question for the Bears is just how healthy is his knee and can he regain his old Pro Bowl form?
Head coach Matt Nagy insisted during rookie minicamps that Robinson is “ahead of the game” in his rehab. They feel good about the prognosis but feel, “we don’t need to rush it.” Nobody can blame him for playing it safe, but it still leaves fans wondering when exactly he will get back on the field.
New hints suggest Allen Robinson is 100% and carrying giant chip on shoulder
The exact details of the progressing rehab are unknown, but a source did tell me that there is no cause for concern. As things stand now the 24-year old has suffered no setbacks and is chomping at the bit to get back on the field.
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“Robinson is now pain-free and motivated beyond belief.”
Pain-free is a great thing. It means he’ll be able to run his full complement of routes without having to worry about feeling a jolt. At maximum speed, Robinson was often dangerous as a route runner. The motivation part is easy enough to see. He was the next big thing after 2015 and still the best receiver in Jacksonville the next year. Yet after his injury the team goes to the AFC championship and decides they don’t need him anymore.
That had to sting and no doubt pushed him to remind everybody who he is. If he could end up doing that in Chicago, a city notorious for struggling with wide receivers? That would elevate his star to previously unseen heights. It will be fun to watch how he and Trubisky develop together in training camp. Fans will go nuts when the two connect for their first red zone touchdown. A sign of things to come.
