Allen Robinson isn't known for displaying his emotions too often. He's a competitor and loves the game of football, sure. However, he tends to keep a stoic expression on and off the field. That seems to have changed a little bit this season. The 27-years old is celebrating with more passion when teammates make big plays. He's also displaying it when he himself does the same. Strong celebrations for first downs and touchdowns.
Maybe the guy has decided to embrace the love of the game a little more. Maybe he's resigned to the fact this is his last year in Chicago. Who knows. Either way, it's been fun to watch. Never was that clearer than in the game last Sunday against Detroit. Robinson had a solid afternoon headlined by three catches for 68 yards. It should've been four but an outstanding grab was negated by the Bears accepting a penalty. His best play came when
Justin Fields found him along the sideline, fitting the ball into a tight window for a 1st down.
The throw was great. The catch was better.
Initially, it looked like Robinson may have gone out of bounds. He disagreed. Immediately after making the grab, he told everybody in earshot that he got both feet down. He kept repeating it along the sideline. Head coach Matt Nagy challenged the ruling on the field. As the refs went through the video, Robinson
waited for the results. During that time he even did a little dance in anticipation. It was a treat.
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Getting to see that side of Robinson is rare. He never shows it to the media. This serves as a reminder of how much the receiver loves playing football. It's also a reminder of how hard the Bears must continue trying to keep him long-term.
Allen Robinson is determined upon his course
He has stated several times he'd love to stay in Chicago. His goal is to set every franchise receiving record on course to win a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that desire will not override his mission to become a top-paid receiver in the league. It is something he feels he's earned and isn't going to back down from such a stance. Hence why he and the organization remain
deadlocked in contract talks for over a year now.
Is he prepared to leave if necessary? It seems that way. Then again if he continues to forge a strong bond with Fields, the Bears may feel compelled to up whatever their current offer is in an effort to close the deal. He and Darnell Mooney formed a great combination against Detroit. That is something the team can build around moving forward. Allen Robinson has several good years still ahead of him.
The big issue here is money.
Chicago faces a lot of dead money next offseason if they decide to part ways with several veterans as expected. Guys like
Danny Trevathan and Nick Foles. Maybe even
Robert Quinn despite his latest resurgence. While that would clear cap space, it would also saddle the team with a ton of dead money. Are they prepared to make Robinson a top 5 receiver in money despite this? We're going to find out in a few months.
