Could Chicago Bears extend Roy Robertson-Harris?

The Chicago Bears slapped a tender on Roy Robertson-Harris extending him for one more season. Should they look for a long-term extension?

When the Chicago Bears tendered Roy Robertson-Harris it all but ensured that he would be back in 2020. Robertson-Harris was a restricted free agent, so a team would have to offer up a second-round pick, and give the Bears a chance to match any offer thrown his way. No team was going to go that far.

So, the Bears were able to bring him back on a one-year, $3.3 million deal. However, next season RRH will be unrestricted meaning that he can test an open market with no interference from Chicago.

At first thought, the Bears are likely to see him walk for more money and a chance to start. Still, after an explosive first game in 2019, he was relatively quiet, even with Akiem Hicks injured. With Hicks back this season, teams are looking at a player who will 27 next season and will have never seen starter snaps.

We knew RRH was not going to have a market that required a draft pick to trade, but how much can he see an open market as it is?

Below, we looked at five players who may have a market similar to Robertson-Harris. All five are defensive ends who can move up and down the line with a combination of height and power.

With the help of PFF, we were able to look at their pressures, which combines sacks hits, and hurries, and run stops, which constitutes as negative plays. The stats below are from just the past three seasons and their current contract status.

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Crawford is the oldest, and saw the most money, but is not the most productive on a per snap basis. In fact, of the group, RRH has the best pressure rate and is the youngest of the group. Ronald Blair and Shelby Harris have been the best run-stuffers, but Blair has played by far the least amount of anyone. That, combined with an ACL tear to end his season is why Blair re-signed with San Fran on a one-year deal.

Below, you can see their raw stats. Harris, Bailey, Anderson, and Crawford all have the same approximate value.

What does this mean for Roy Robertson-Harris

On the high side, you can compare RRH favorably to Crawford. He is younger, a better pass rusher, has been about equally productive on fewer snaps, so he is the better long term bet. That is an upside of $9 million per year. The Bears will not be the team giving him that type of upside, and if he believes he can hit that peak, it would be understandable that he does not re-sign at any point.

On the low side, if he does get injured, he is very much on the path of Blair, which means signing a lower end deal for another one year.

Still, there is also Shelby Harris who is 28 years old and has similar production to RRH over the past three seasons. Harris looked for a contract and saw no market for a depth interior lineman. He is currently making the same type of money as RRH.

Beyond Anderson, and Crawford, the market for a player with the style of play that RRH presents is $3-4 million per year. Could RRH play on a one-year deal, and bet on himself getting a three-year, $25 million contract on an open market? Henry Anderson would tell you it is possible.

On the other end, if the Bears told him before a huge season that he could have longterm security in the form on a three-year, $13 million deal with $6 million guaranteed, would he pass that up? Is the risk of not playing enough, getting injured, not showing enough, or flat out not having a market a la Shelby Harris too much? If the Bears could ensure a depth defensive end for $3-4 million per year, they would likely have to consider it.

While there is a chance that RRH could max himself out of the Bears price range, there is just as good of a chance that RRH realizes the market is not strong and takes long term security in a role he knows.