Chicago Bears: 6 players who might not return in 2021

Tarik Cohen, RB/WR

Honestly, Tarik Cohen is undervalued. As frustrating as he was last season, he is still a threat that defenses have to gameplan for every week. He brings a great deal to the field. His skill set allows him to be a triple threat on the ground, through the air and as a punt returner. If the 2017 NFL Draft was to be redrafted, Cohen would likely be a late first-round pick or early second-round pick.

The thing is, if Ryan Pace has to decide on between extending Allen Robinson and Cohen, the money needs to be allocated to Robinson. That said, there are two more players on this list who could free up enough space to hopefully retain both Robinson and Cohen.

Cohen is in a different situation than Robinson though. He is coming to the end of his rookie contract. After the 2020 season, Cohen will have earned less than $5 million dollars. As a running back, his next contract might be his last. The average age of the position is much lower than most other positions and although Cohen can serve as more than a running back, he is still not the biggest guy on the field. Could he be like Darren Sproles? Maybe, but the odds are against him.

Cohen will likely see a three to four-year contract. The amount of money will not be top dollar, but Cohen will likely see between $3 and $5 million per season. Can the Chicago Bears find a way to make that happen while still extending Robinson all while during a pandemic?