NEWSLETTER
A buried nugget in this share from NFL insider Aaron Wilson is found on the second image under the header for free agent transactions: Allen Robinson officially signed his Franchise Tag tender on Wednesday.
Now that it’s officially official, we can discuss what that means.
A Window for Extension Negotiations
The date to circle on your calendar is July 15. That is the deadline for Robinson, his representation, and the Bears to come to an agreement on a multi-year contract. If that July 15 deadline passes without a deal done, then Robinson will play on a one-year contract worth a fully guaranteed $18 million. Not shabby, especially when considering how the free agent receiver market has played out to this point. But a one-year deal doesn’t provide the long-term security a player with Robinson’s résumé seeks or deserves.
Players signing multi-year deals after receiving the tag isn’t a foreign concept. In fact, we’ve seen it with Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams (3/$63M, $45M guaranteed) and Broncos safety Justin Simmons (4/$61M, $35M guaranteed) already this offseason. So, anecdotally, there is some hope for those who want to see it. However, it’s more realistic to believe that it might be a while until contract talks between the Bears and Robinson to heat up.
Not only have talks been put on ice, Robinson could continue to let things chill. Well, at least until after the NFL Draft shakes out to see how the Bears quarterback situation looks. I understand Mike Glennon Andy Dalton has been given assurances that he’ll be QB1. But as we noted earlier today, we’ve seen the Bears perform this song and dance before.
So if you’re monitoring Robinson extension talks, I hope you’re in a comfortable chair. Otherwise, I don’t envy your position.
Trade Possibilities?
The tag-and-trade has been a popular talking point, but it’s never seemed realistic. It’s already a complicated maneuver that needs a number of moving parts to line up and multiple parties be on the same page and in agreement on how a deal would work. In short, it’s a complex mechanism that I was unsure would result in a trade at the outset of the offseason.
Now, I’m not saying a deal can’t happen between now and the NFL’s trade deadline. With the dust settling in free agency, we could hear some rumors about potential movement. But it’s difficult to envision a trade getting done between now and when the 2021 NFL Draft opens in April. Especially when this Draft class is *LOADED* with receivers. With the shrunken cap being what it is, I imagine it’s a tough sell to trade draft picks to pay someone $18 million (plus an extension) when recent years have shown there can be value and upside in drafting a receiver. NFL general managers value rookie-scale contracts the way I do grocery store meat sales.
The Most Likely Meaning
Sometimes, it’s the easiest and most basic meaning that turns out to be what happens. And that means Robinson returns on a one-year deal for the 2021 season. Then we get to do this whole thing all over again next spring.
Between now and then, we’ll see if Robinson shows up to scheduled offseason team activities or if sitting out until he absolutely needs to be with the team is the next move. Stay tuned…
