Report: Chicago Bears make decision on Allen Robinson ahead of franchise tag deadline
Last year, the Chicago Bears used the franchise tag on Allen Robinson. With a new regime coming in, they won’t do it again this time around.
The Bears aren’t going to tag Robinson and will instead let him hit free agency, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin and Dianna Russini. Robinson had a rough 2021 season under Matt Nagy, and new general manager Ryan Poles is opting to give him a fresh start in 2022.
Robinson emerged as Mitchell Trubisky’s top target in 2019 and 2020, totaling 1,000 yards in both seasons. But last year, with Justin Fields under center, things were much different. Robinson had just 38 receptions for 418 yards and one touchdown in 2021.
Now, Chicago has to go forward looking for a wide receiver. Only Darnell Mooney is coming back from the 2021 roster, and even though Mooney and Fields developed quite a connection, the Bears still have to find a new top wide receiver. It’s one of the many needs Poles has to fill as he takes over his first general manager job.
How the Chicago Bears can replace Allen Robinson
The Bears have some routes they can go to replace Robinson. One is free agency, but another is through the draft. It’s worth noting former Ohio State star Chris Olave spoke at the NFL Combine about potentially reuniting with Fields, and his response was sure to excite Chicago fans.
“Oh yeah, definitely,” Olave said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “Having him in college as my quarterback, I know what he can do on-and-off the field and I know how hard he works. I feel like we’re very similar in ways and I feel like we can complement each other if we do end up on the same team.”
It won’t be easy for that reunion to happen, though. The Bears don’t have a first-round pick in 2022 because they traded it to to the New York Giants to draft Fields. That means if they want to reunite the two former Buckeyes standouts, they’ll have to trade up from their spot in the second round. It’s also worth noting Chicago only has five picks in April’s draft.
Robinson’s departure is part of a larger wave of change in Chicago. Poles is now in as general manager, replacing Ryan Pace, and Matt Eberflus took over for Nagy as head coach. They’ve announced their commitment to Fields as the franchise’s quarterback of the future and their intentions to overhaul the roster, notably at offensive line. Now, they’ll have to go about finding another playmaking wide receiver.