The Chicago Bears tagged WR Allen Robinson with the franchise player designation prior to the March 9 deadline, and with that tag comes a guaranteed salary of around $18 million in 2021.
It’s unlikely the Bears or Robinson want to enter next season with a one-year deal in place, but according to A-Rob, there’s still been no communication or contract negotiations between his camp and Chicago.
Just got off the the phone with #Bears WR Allen Robinson before his afternoon workout. "As far as I understand we haven't had talks on a contract since September, but I am not anxious about it."
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 15, 2021
Remember: The deadline for teams to sign franchise players to a multi-year extension expires mid-July, and if a new contract isn’t finalized by then, this already contentious situation between Robinson and the Bears will get worse.
The NFL’s legal tampering window for 2021 free agency began at Noon on Monday, and it’s possible GM Ryan Pace is focused on adding a few new players to the roster before circling around to Robinson.
But let’s face it: there’s been more than enough time to get a deal done. At this point, questions about the Bears’ intent with Robinson are valid. Will they trade him? Is he in their long-term plans?
We should know the answer to these critical questions within the next few weeks, if not sooner.