We all know Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson is critically important to Chicago’s offense. And sometimes, stats can make the obvious even more, well, obvious.
Check out this nugget shared by Pro Football Focus’ Ian Hartitz regarding the most targeted wide receivers in the NFL this season:
Six players are averaging double-digit targets per game this season:
Jamison Crowder (11.5)
Allen Robinson (11)
Amari Cooper (10.8)
DeAndre Hopkins (10.2)
Keenan Allen (10)
Davante Adams (10)— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 21, 2020
If we eliminate Jamison Crowder’s ridiculous 11.5 targets per game, which are largely a product of the Jets’ negative game scripts, Robinson is in elite company and is among some of the game’s highest-paid pass-catchers.
Davante Adams (aside from Robinson) is the lowest-paid of the most-targeted bunch at $14.5 million per season, according to Spotrac. The average annual salary jumps to Amari Cooper ($20 million per year), Keenan Allen ($20.025 million per year), and DeAndre Hopkins ($27.25 million per year).
Robinson, who’s in the middle of presumed contract negotiations with the Bears in an effort to land a lucrative extension that pays more than the three-year, $42 million deal he signed in 2018, is being used the same way the league’s highest-paid targets are and he’s producing on those targets too.
Robinson has 40 catches for 474 yards and two scores through six games, numbers that put him on pace for 107 catches, 1,264 yards and five touchdowns. His yards and touchdowns totals are likely to go up from these projections with a few big plays over the next 10 games.
A-Rob is earning his next payday, whether it’s with the Bears or another club in need of a dominant wide receiver.