Allen Robinson has to be frustrated. The 2021 season has not gone as he would’ve hoped. Despite all the issues with his contract negotiations and not wanting to get franchise tagged, he still showed up for training camp. He wasn’t a distraction and is doing everything he can to help the team win. Now through six games, he has just 234 yards and one touchdown. Not the best start for somebody trying to get one last big payday.
When the season began, everybody wanted to talk about Justin Fields. The 11th overall pick came in with a lot of fanfare. However, Robinson seemed rather neutral on the subject. The only thing he really had to say about the rookie was he’s very talented. Nothing bad but not the most ringing endorsement. Has anything changed since the two truly began working together over the past month?
A little bit, yeah.
Robinson stepped in front of the media for his weekly press conference ahead of the big matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was asked about his thoughts on Fields and what the thought process is on working with a guy so inexperienced. Robinson admitted he hasn’t been dialed into everything the rookie is doing, but that didn’t stop the receiver from offering some noteworthy praise of the strides the kid is making.
It does seem like Fields and Robinson have started to get on the same page. After connecting just three times between the Cincinnati and Cleveland games, the pair have started to hit more frequently. That showed up on both Bears scoring drives against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. Fields hit the receiver on a pretty 20-yard throw between two defenders on the opening series. Then he found Robinson for 20 yards again in the 4th quarter after a nice scramble drill.
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Allen Robinson is a tough critic to impress
Rightfully so. The guy has played with some crummy quarterbacks in his career to this point. Blake Bortles and Mitch Trubisky. So he wasn’t going to grade on a curve for Fields. If the kid wanted his respect, he’d have to earn it. By the sound of things, he’s doing just that. Considering where he was in the aftermath of that debacle against Cleveland? There is no denying that Fields had improved considerably.
This despite some questionable help around him. Both from the offensive line protecting him (16 sacks in four starts) and the offensive system itself. Despite making a greater commitment to the running game, head coach Matt Nagy and his staff haven’t been able to make things simpler for the rookie. For him to steadily improve anyway? That speaks to how talented and intelligent Fields is.
Perhaps that is what impresses Allen Robinson the most.
Will it be enough to convince him to work harder at staying in Chicago? Probably not. The 28-year old is determined on his course. He’s aiming for the best contract he can get. The Bears don’t seem inclined to pay him the $20 million range per year he seems to be looking for. That is unfortunate because it seems like he and Fields could develop into a great combo.