Chicago Bears must extend someone not named Allen Robinson
The Chicago Bears may have a more important extension than Allen Robinson
The name the media and the Chicago Bears keep talking about needing a contract extension is Allen Robinson. As much as I agree Robinson not only needs but easily deserves a contract extension, there might be one player who deserves one just as much, if not even more.
Robinson has hit the 1,000-yard mark two years in a row now with this team. Unfortunately, it has not helped the Chicago Bears enough in the win column. The team had a better record in 2018 when Robinson finished with only 754 yards. There is not really a correlation here, but it is interesting and worth pointing out. Robinson does not seem happy here any longer though and I think he tries to walk in the offseason.
There is another player on this roster who has outperformed expectations and deserves to be brought back in 2021 and beyond. That player is Cairo Santos. As excited as Chicago Bears fans were for Eddy Pineiro and his strong leg, Santos has stepped in and has not looked back. He exudes a type of confidence that we have not had in Chicago for a very long time.
We're at the point where I just put my head down and work during Cairo Santos' field goals because I know they're going in. Haven't had that luxury since Robbie Gould.
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) December 13, 2020
Cairo Santos might even be a more important player to get extended before the season ends. More important than Allen Robinson. More important than Cordarrelle Patterson. Do you remember all of the kicking woes this team has had, even before the famous Cody Parkey double-doink. Santos was even a part of the original kicking woes, but now that he is fully healthy he has looked superb once again.
Cairo Santos has brought stability to the Chicago Bears
Although Santos has only attempted 23 field goals this season, he has connected on 21 of them. His field goal percentage is 91.3% this year and he has even hit two of three from over 50 yards. This was the biggest concern with Santos when the Chicago Bears brought him in to take over kicking duties as Eddy Pineiro missed time due to another groin injury. Santos has put doubters to bed as he has a season and career-long of 55 yards this season.
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Both Eddy Pineiro and Cairo Santos are hitting free agency in 2021. The upside of Pineiro is still there, but two groin injuries in the same amount of years are very concerning. If Santos hits free agency, he’s going to either find a new team or cost the Chicago Bears more. If I am Ryan Pace (or even George McCaskey himself), I would be looking to extend Santos now. Lock him up for the 2021 season and beyond and stop worrying about the kicker position for awhile.