Allen Robinson Gives Less Than Ideal Update on Contract Talks

Eddie Jackson is secure. Danny Trevathan will return on a new three-year deal. GM Ryan Pace has done a good job of taking care of business in terms of extensions for his in-house players. Most will agree that his top priority now is wide receiver Allen Robinson. The 26-year old was outstanding in 2019, going for over 1,000 yards and being the best player on offense by a pretty wide margin. With it being the last year of his current deal, extending him is a must.

This is why a lot of Bears fans have grown nervous as days have gone by. They're wondering why things are taking so long. Finally they got some clarity when Robinson appeared on Waddle & Silvy for ESPN 1000. Amidst other questions, he was asked about the state of contract negotiations with the team. His answer probably isn't what a lot of people want to hear.

"That's tough to say. I would say there have been conversations but talks is even a push at that. So I mean it's pretty...it's in the very minimal stage."

Allen Robinson extension likely has to wait for summer

Now before people have a mass panic, this shouldn't be a huge shock. The odds of the Bears actually locking Robinson up by the spring was unlikely. He's been waiting on news of the new CBA, for one thing. For another, major extensions by the Bears typically don't get done until the end of the summer right before the regular season begins. Eddie Goldman and Cody Whitehair are recent examples.

Pace undoubtedly has shifted his focus to free agency and the draft. This doesn't mean he views the star receiver as less of a priority. Merely one he can afford to postpone for the next month or so while he tries to improve the rest of the offense. Smart money says the Bears will resume conversations in earnest after undrafted free agency concludes in May. If a CBA passes, it might streamline the process that much further.