Chicago — Having all-world talent on the NFL team in Chicago does not happen often, and when it does it tends to be wasted.
Let’s face it, the Bears have never had stellar quarterback play. But they have had some talented receivers and weapons that went criminally underpaid and without a Super Bowl appearance.
Example A:
Alshon Jeffrey – The all-time leader in wide receiver yards in the history of the franchise (4549), according to Pro Football Reference, was allowed to walk in free agency, after the team chose not to extend or put him under the franchise tag.
Example B:
Brandon Marshall – The sixth-most yards for a wide receiver in the history of the franchise (3524) was traded to the Jets. The following season with his new team, he put up over 1500 yards through the air.
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Combining those two with versatile Matt Forte, who had the second-most yards from scrimmage in Bears history (12,718), never sniffed a playoff game when playing together.
As Bears fans continue to suffer through lifeless offensive play in 2020, it triggers thoughts of 2004, Mike Martz, and Marc Trestman. For what feels like a yearly occurrence, another offensive rebuild and several years of mediocrity is now on the horizon.
Yes, after all was made of Matt Nagy and his system, history is repeating itself and it appears they will lose Allen Robinson, a rare bright spot in a failed offense, as they did in 2015 and 2017.
According to Sportrac, Robinson is the 17th highest-paid receiver in the NFL making $14 million this season. While this is not in the category of critically underpaid, Robinson deserves to be paid like a top-10 receiver because frankly, he is one.
Second in targets with 86, tied with Keenan Allen who signed a 4-year $80 million extension this offseason, and sixth in total yards with 712, #12 is the best offensive player the Bears have had since Forte.
He’s arguably a top-five wide receiver in Bears’ history, holding the highest catch percentage (62.9%) of any wide receiver to have over 300 targets in the uniform.
Topping everything off, should #12 keep up his 2020 pace, he will move into #7 all-time in total yards for a WR in Bears history. Only trailing, you guessed it, Brandon Marshall.
He also makes plays like this:
The throw. The dive. The catch.@AllenRobinson pins the TD catch to his helmet! #DaBears
📺: #NOvsCHI on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/ow2iBsMpyD pic.twitter.com/Ij4r7ZRRFa— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2020
Those Allen Robinson routes are just different 😳 @AllenRobinson @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/2T8FKM4teF
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 2, 2020
The Bears had a chance to extend Robinson this offseason and didn’t. They still have a chance to extend him right now, but the odds he is traded grow higher by the week.
He is in the prime of his career, putting in a remarkable effort on one of the worst offenses of the decade. Would you rather watch your all-world talent sit in the hands of Ryan Pace, Matt Nagy, Nick Foles, or a rookie QB, or would you rather play in a competent offense and thrive?
The answer is clear, and the writing is on the wall. If the Bears choose to tag him, which it’s likely they will try and do, he has the opportunity to sit out and demand a trade. Will he? Only he can answer that.
With every play made in 2020, Robinson gives off the vibe of a true pro, an ultimate teammate who refuses to quit. He’s a special talent, and it’s upsetting to Bears fans everywhere to see him increase his trade value, rather than increase the Bears’ chances of making it to the playoffs.
With the NFL salary cap expected to drop to the $175 million dollar range next season, the Bears pocketbook will shrink and so will the odds of keeping one of the best receivers to suit up on the lakefront.
