The Chicago Bears dropped out of the Jarvis Landry chase fairly early. It seems they weren't wild about the idea of swapping first round picks with the Miami Dolphins, which was a reported part of the original deal proposed. In the end, it was the Cleveland Browns who got him. GM Ryan Pace thus continues his streak of never having traded draft picks for veteran players in his career. It seems like he plans to make or break himself in free agency.
That's not an unreasonable plan. Thanks to his careful management the Bears are set up to have a huge amount of salary cap space. Latest projections say they sit at just over $64 million dollars. That's like to go up even more once they cut quarterback Mike Glennon and receive an $11.5 million additional boost. In other words, it's likely the Bears will be busy once free agency opens on March 14th.
The question becomes of all the notable names expected to become available, who will Pace zero in on? One might've said a cornerback before the transition tag was placed on Kyle Fuller. With his rights controlled, that likely makes wide receiver the unquestioned focal point. If so, there is one name that seems to have their attention.
Chicago Bears seem squarely focused on Allen Robinson
There is no question that Landry was one of the top names available this off-season. Can he be considered a true #1 talent though? His two Pro Bowls offer that argument, but many believe he's just a productive slot receiver who shined because the ball kept going his way. He doesn't give off near the same luster of top-tier gifts like Allen Robinson. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1280x720-Allen-Robinson-WR-for-the-Jacksonville-Jaguars-at-NFL.com_.mp4"][/video] The 24-year old first burst onto the scene in 2015 when he torched defenses for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. Though his 2016 saw a regression that was mostly due to the ongoing struggles of quarterback Blake Bortles. The tape clearly shows Robinson to be a rare specimen who can win in any number ways whether it be his size, his speed, or his route running. He represents a caliber of receiver the Bears haven't seen since Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery left. There's no telling the benefits he could bring to quarterback Mitch Trubisky and that passing game. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune seems to think the Bears are eager to find out"It will be interesting to see what happens with Landry, but I think the Bears would prefer Allen Robinson if they can get in the running for the Jaguars wide receiver."
He's not the only one who thinks that.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com, a longtime former scout, an executive for the Dallas Cowboys, believes Robinson is the ideal target. This in spite of his worrisome injury situation."If I were the Bears, I'd target Allen Robinson. Yes, he lost almost all of the 2017 season to a torn ACL, but I'm still surprised the Jaguars didn't use the franchise tag to keep him around. And Chicago could really use him. Consider that Robinson put up more receiving yards in one season (1,400 in 2015) than any Bears player not named Alshon Jeffery in the last three seasons combined."The ACL injury can be considered a freak occurrence. Robinson never missed a game the previous two seasons. All indications are his rehab is on schedule and he'll be 100% long before teams hit the field for organized activities. The fact he doesn't turn 25 until late August is another bonus. So do the Bears have a reasonable shot at him? Money certainly isn't the issue. They have more than enough to make him one of the highest-paid receivers in football if need be. Robinson also grew up in Detroit. Signing in Chicago would put him closer to home. Last but not least it appears he's a Cubs fan based on his Instagram pictures. It comes down to whether Pace and head coach Matt Nagy can make a good enough sales pitch.
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