According to recent news, it sounds like the Chicago Bears will not be extending Allen Robinson after the 2021 season. They could allow Robinson to test free agency and then match whatever offer he receives, but from the distaste, he’s had with the Bears, he likely will not be returning next season after riding out the franchise tag this season.
If that is the case, the Bears need to look to free agency and the NFL Draft to replace the target machine that Allen Robinson is for their offense. Over the last two seasons, Allen Robinson has accumulated over 300 targets, 200 receptions, and nearly 2,500 yards. He’s been a star on a bleak offense for the Bears.
The Bears likely cannot replace Allen Robinson with an upgrade or a lateral move outside of Davante Adams or Chris Godwin. They likely will need a slight downgrade for a cheaper wide receiver open to the idea of being a WR1, much as Robinson did after leaving Jacksonville. Here are five players they can get like that.
Potential Chicago Bears Target: Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys
Possibly the best addition to replace Allen Robinson could be arguably the third wide receiver for the loaded Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys already have Amari Cooper and just drafted CeeDee Lamb in the first round in 2020, so they may not have interest in bringing Gallup back and Gallup may believe he deserves the chance to be the main guy.
Gallup was a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He struggled to get much action early in Dallas, but in his sophomore season, he broke out big time. Gallup finished the season with 113 targets catching 66 passes for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns in only 14 games. In 2020 with the addition of Lamb and the loss of Dak Prescott, he saw a drop in every statistical category despite playing all 16 games.
Gallup is still only 25 with years ahead of him and could be looking for a fresh start. With Cooper and Lamb locked up in Dallas, Gallup could come to Chicago and instantly be the main target alongside Darnell Mooney. If they added another receiver with Gallup, their core could still be solid.
Potential Chicago Bears Target: D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars
D.J. Chark has followed a similar career path as Michael Gallup as he was additionally drafted in 2018 (second round) and broke out in his second season. Unlike Gallup though, Chark has not had stable quarterback play. He has had the likes of Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew, and Blake Bortles as his quarterbacks. He now has Trevor Lawrence, but he could still want to leave if he doesn’t do as well as he thinks.
In his rookie season, Chark played in 11 games, but he only tallied 14 receptions for 174 yards. Then, in 2019, he came out of nowhere becoming the main target for Gardner Minshew earning himself a spot in the Pro Bowl for his 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. With the quarterback carousel the Jaguars had in 2020, he only had 53 catches for 706 yards and five touchdowns.
The combo of Mooney and Chark would be deadly for the Bears. Chark, like Mooney, is blazing fast as he ran a 4.34 40-yard dash before the 2018 NFL Draft. In addition to that speed, he additionally is 6′ 3″. That combination of height and speed is lethal as a deep threat and a reliable target.
Potential Chicago Bears Target: Will Fuller, Miami Dolphins
After an incredible (and surprisingly healthy) start to the 2020 season for Will Fuller, he got pegged for using performance-enhancing drugs and was suspended for the remainder of the season and for the beginning of 2020 as well. Because of that, he only earned himself a one-year rental contract to prove that he can stay healthy without the PEDs.
Fuller was a first-round pick in 2016 for the Houston Texans. Since being drafted, the most games Fuller has played in is 14 and that was his rookie season. Since then he’s played in 10, 7, 11, and 11 games. He mainly was a deep threat as a second target alongside DeAndre Hopkins from 2016-2019 as the most yards he got in that span in a single season was 670.
In 2020 though, Fuller stepped into the Hopkins role. He earned himself 75 targets in 11 games and was on pace for almost 110 targets. He finished the season with 53 catches for 879 yards and eight touchdowns. At a 16-game pace, he would’ve tallied 77 receptions for 1,279 yards and 12 touchdowns. Much like Chark, the deep threat capability of Fuller paired with Mooney would be deadly.
Potential Chicago Bears Target: Robby Anderson, Carolina Panthers
As common with the “Adam Gase effect” Robby Anderson truly didn’t get introduced to the NFL until he got away from Gase. It is very common for players to be hindered by his offense and Anderson is just another case of that. Anderson left for the Panthers on a two-year deal and had a spectacular season.
Anderson commanded a lot of targets in his second season with the New York Jets in 2017 posting 114 targets good for 63 receptions, 941 yards, and seven touchdowns. He never saw 800 yards in a season outside of that year though and because of that, got a cheap contract with the Panthers to likely be their third option. He then beat out Curtis Samuel earning himself 136 targets catching 95 passes for 1,096 yards and three touchdowns as he was completely hindered by poor quarterback play.
Now, Anderson is reunited with his quarterback, Sam Darnold, in Carolina. If Darnold isn’t another case of the “Adam Gase effect”, Anderson will likely get frustrated with poor quarterback play again. He could be another great deep-threat addition to this Bears offense with the option to be the main target for Justin Fields.
Potential Chicago Bears Target: Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Williams is definitely an intriguing option at wide receiver. He’s never been a target machine at wide receiver as they have Keenan Allen, but he has still posted impressive numbers. For some reason, the Chargers picked up his fifth-year option paying him $15 million this season, which is likely not deserving.
Williams was an extremely hyped-up prospect coming out of Clemson as he was the seventh overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then though, he has had interesting seasons. His most impressive season came in 2019 when he caught 49 passes for 1,001 yards, which is an incredible 20.4 yards per reception. He caught only two touchdowns though. The year before he caught 43 passes for only 664 yards and 10 touchdowns. So, he has been inconsistent with his ability.
Williams getting a fresh start away from star Keenan Allen could be nice for him. He could have the chance to command more targets and be the red-zone threat he should be (6′ 4″, 220 pounds). The pairs could use him as the type of receiver they use Allen Robinson and hope he develops.