HERE TO PLAY AND STAY
Robinson has year left on deal, wants to remain in Chicago for long haul
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Wide receiver Allen Robinson has a year left on his Bears contract and wants to remain even longer. This offseason could ensure he stays a long time.
“I think the biggest thing is that, again, it definitely takes both sides,” Robinson said Thursday after arriving in South Florida as the Bears’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. “There’s a lot that goes into it. Everybody knows I want to be in Chicago.
“We’re just trying to figure this out. I’m sure that [general manager] Ryan [Pace], he has a lot going on, stuff he’s trying to figure out . . . . Also, I’m just preparing, going into a contract year. Because it is the last year of my deal, and there’s nothing I can do solely to change that myself.”
Though he leaves such strategy to his agent, Robinson acknowledged it would be beneficial if the NFL and the NFLPA were to reach a collective-bargaining agreement before the start of the league year. That would potentially raise the salary cap — and mean more negotiating power for a player such as Robinson, who caught 98 passes for 1,147 yards in 2019.
“I want to be in Chicago, if they’ll have me,” he said. “The biggest thing is, I can’t make that happen by myself. I just gotta control what I can control. I know that everything will probably play out fine.”
Robinson expects the Bears’ offense to improve. And that starts with quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
“I think it’s one of those things where it just comes down to being seasoned,” he said. “Last year was only his third year in the league, so it comes down to the more ball you play, the better you get. That’s really how it goes in this league.”
The Bears “are not that far off,” he claimed. “I think we have a lot of playmakers,” he said. “We have a lot of talent. I think the word ‘regressed’ was used a lot, but I truly believe that young players don’t really [regress] . . . . When I think of ‘regressed,’ I think of older players.
“For us, I think it’s more that we didn’t see everything through the same set of eyes. We have to make sure we’re going out there with the details of everything, knowing what we want to accomplish — that’s route detail, that’s the path for the running back. Everything across the board has to become more detailed. I think with the team we have and the youth we have on our offense, we’re only getting better.”
Changes to the offensive coaching staff — the Bears added coordinator Bill Lazor, quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, offensive line coach Juan Castillo and tight ends coach Clancy Barone — should bring in some fresh ideas.
“As coach [Matt] Nagy puts together his whole staff, it’s more so a solution-based staff,” Robinson said. “I think it’ll be looking at some deficiencies we had last year as an offense and see how we can improve those. I’m pretty sure those guys they bring in are probably pretty good at those areas, in being able to fix those.”
Robinson’s work with his Within Reach Foundation — which gives educational opportunities and resources to low-income Chicago students — earned him the Bears’ nomination for Man of the Year.
The trophy, which is named after the former Bears star and honors the player with the most significant impact on his community, will be awarded Saturday night.
Each team invites its nominee to the NFL Honors awards show. Robinson is ready if his name is called.
“I’m preparing a speech,” he said.
‘‘I WANT TO BE IN CHICAGO, IF THEY’LL HAVE ME. THE BIGGEST THING IS, I CAN’T MAKE THAT HAPPEN BY MYSELF.’’ ALLEN ROBINSON, Bears wide receiver