The
Chicago Bears face an uphill battle on the
Allen Robinson front. Not only are they limited in terms of salary cap space but it's also pretty apparent the wide receiver has dug his heels in. He wants a certain contract number. One the Bears have been reluctant to meet. Word is the two sides haven't spoken since last September. That doesn't bode well for what is to come.
It isn't hard to predict the sequence of events
ahead. Barring an eleventh-hour push by the two sides to reach common ground, Robinson is headed for two possible endings. Either he hits the open market or far more likely the Bears will slap him with the franchise tag. The wide receiver hasn't exactly kept his feelings on the tag to himself in recent months. It's obvious he hates it, having pushed the NFL Players Association to get it removed from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
What he hasn't done is put specifically into words why he hates it so much.
Recently the 27-year old was a special
guest at a seminar held by NFL business specialist Andrew Brandt where they discussed a variety of topics. Specifically the franchise tag. Robinson was his usual self, calm and forthright while explaining in no uncertain terms why he feels the tag shouldn't exist.
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Robinson said his goal once his career is over is to become an agent. Clearly, this is something he's passionate about. Yet it doesn't change the reality. The Bears aren't likely to get a favorable response from him when they utilize it. Think a probably extended holdout. However, this doesn't necessarily mean everything is lost. There is a way things could still work out. How?
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Bears could let the market set the price for Allen Robinson
The transition tag isn't used much in the NFL but it can serve a purpose. Essentially it turns one player from an unrestricted free agent into a restricted free agent. This means Robinson would be allowed to shop around with other teams who wish to make him offers. Once he accepts one, the Bears would have a set amount of time to match it. If they're comfortable with the numbers, they can do so and Robinson would finally be locked up.
Chicago already did this once before in 2018. They placed the transition tag on cornerback
Kyle Fuller. He soon accepted an offer from the Green Bay Packers. GM Ryan Pace was fine with the layout and decided to match it. Fuller has ended up being one of the Bears' best players since then. So it makes sense to do it again with Allen Robinson, right?
Well, yes. However, the Bears better be 100% sure they want to do that.
Why? Keep this in mind. They are hurting for salary cap space right now. They're projected to be $3-4 million in the red at present. If they wanted to sign Robinson long-term, their goal would be to backload his new contract to keep his 2021 cap hit low. If they use the transition tag, another team would be able to structure the deal where the guarantees are front-loaded instead, raising his 2021 cap hit. This is called a "poison pill" strategy and would make it exceedingly difficult for Chicago to match.
Worse still, if the Bears use the transition tag and end up losing Robinson to the other team? They get nothing in return. No draft pick. Using it forfeits their ability to even get a compensatory selection. So while it's good the receiver is open to having Chicago use this strategy to set his market, it also comes with serious dangers. The team better be prepared for the consequences.
