Why Allen Robinson was quick to sign Chicago Bears franchise tag

Chicago Bears (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Earlier this week reports surfaced that Allen Robinson was not interested in signing his franchise tag. Then, all of a sudden he had a change of heart, and signed it, locking $18 million per year. The team has until July to extend Robinson but is unlikely to happen.

So, the question is what happened? Many think he signed to get traded. However, that is unlikely, and Robinson will probably play out on the season on his tag. Here is why.

When Robinson was tagged a week ago, he thought he had a chance to enter free agency, which meant a variety of teams bidding on his services. However, what he realized what that wide receiver is the big losers of cap issues due to COVID.

In a typical year, someone like Kenny Golladay or Allen Robinson would exceed the franchise tag total with an extension in free agency. That is unlikely to happen this year. Corey Davis signed for 3-year, $37.5 million, which is about $12.5 per year.

That has been the high mark of free agency so far. Will Fuller just came in under that. Even at the $18 million franchise tag that is $6 million more than Davis and $8 million more than Fuller.

JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kenny Golladay have remained unsigned. The reality is that neither is getting more than that franchise, and both may be getting just $2-3 million more than Davis as offers.

Allen Robinson is slightly better than Kenny Golladay, but the two are very comparable. The Chicago Bears brought Golladay in for a visit, and likely offered him a deal that was less than the franchise tag. The Bears realized that if they can save money for Golladay, they would let Robinson go.

Robinson saw Golladay take that visit and realized that Golladay may have to take a deal that is less than the franchise tag. If he enters free agency right now, he is probably going to get the same offers as Golladay. He would potentially lose money.

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The reality is simple. Last week, Robinson thought that Davis, Fuller, Smith-Schuster, and Golladay would have been paid like every other year and they were not. Now, he realizes that if he does not accept the franchise tag that he may not get that type of money on the open market. Robinson, like Fuller, and potentially JuJu, and Golladay will all try again on an open market in 2022 without the COVID issues.