This past offseason, WR Allen Robinson was franchise-tagged by the Chicago Bears. Essentially playing on a one-year deal, could Robinson be traded ahead of Tuesday’s 2021 NFL trade deadline?
Allen Robinson could be on the move at the trade deadline
Prior to the 2021 season, it didn’t matter who Robinson’s quarterback was — he produced. Whether it was Blake Bortles, Mitchell Trubisky, or Nick Foles, amongst others, Robinson could always be counted on. From 2015-2020, in four of five seasons (missed 2017 due to torn ACL), Robinson saw 150+ targets. In three of those seasons, he caught 80+ receptions, with no less than 1,147 receiving yards.
However, 2021 has not been kind to Robinson. With a mix of Andy Dalton and Justin Fields at QB, plus horrific play-calling from head coach Matt Nagy and the Bears’ coaching staff, Robinson is having his worst season to date — it’s not even up for debate.
With no more than 63 yards in a game this year and just 1 touchdown, Robinson doesn’t appear to be in the short-term or long-term plans for Chicago. At the risk of losing him at the season’s end, the Bears may look to trade Robinson ahead of Tuesday’s deadline at 4 PM. Where are some potential landing spots for Robinson?
Robinson’s potential landing spots
Any trade for Robinson on Tuesday would be a blockbuster. However, heads would explode if he were traded to a division rival.
Kansas City Chiefs
Quite simply, any relevant wide receiver linked to trade rumors will have the Kansas City Chiefs as a potential destination. Kansas City already made a trade Tuesday morning for Melvin Ingram to help bolster their defense. Now, they could look to add one of the premier NFL receivers to go alongside Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs have struggled in the first half of the season, and it hasn’t all been on defense. Patrick Mahomes is pressing and threw his 10th interception of the season last night against the Giants. Having a standout WR like Robinson would certainly help things and create a terrifying trio in Kansas City.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns were expected to be an AFC contender heading into 2021. However, at 4-4 and in last place of the AFC North, the Browns appear mediocre at best. They’re coming off a home loss to divisional foes the Pittsburgh Steelers, and at this rate, they don’t look to be a team heading for the playoffs.
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The Browns’ offense has been off-putting for the majority of the season. They haven’t scored more than 17 points in their last three games and are simply flat in the passing game. Odell Beckham Jr.’s best days are clearly behind him, and Jarvis Landry has had trouble staying on the field. Adding Robinson would alleviate some pressure off these guys and be a welcome addition for QB Baker Mayfield.
Green Bay Packers
Yep, I said it. While it’s highly unlikely the two teams with the NFL’s longest rivalry would agree to a trade for a player of Robinson’s caliber, it wouldn’t surprise me either. Not much in the NFL surprises me anymore, and we’ve seen division rivals trade with each other before. Nevertheless, it would turn the sports world upside down.
In truth, the Packers have already won the division. They’re looking beyond that at this point. And knowing Aaron Rodgers is more than likely to move on after this year, the organization has finally looked to please their veteran QB.
The Bears, meanwhile, aren’t going anywhere in 2021 and should probably be looking to the future. Assuming Rodgers leaves Green Bay, this division could be a toss-up in 2022 and beyond. While trading an elite talent like Robinson may not be ideal, there’s no certainty he sticks around in Green Bay a la Davante Adams. It’s very possible that at this point in his career and the names of QBs he’s played with that Robinson would have no interest in helping Jordan Love develop. And who could blame him?
Therefore, if you’re Chicago, it’s not the worst idea to trade Robinson to Green Bay. The Bears could even get more out of the Packers potentially than they would other interested teams. Without a first-round pick in 2022, it makes sense to make a deal with the enemy. For the Packers, it makes sense for all the obvious reasons.