When the NFL’s 2021 offseason officially begins, teams in need of wide receivers should not be hungry. This year’s free agency class is packed with proven beginners, from Lions ‘Kenny Golladay and Texans’ Will Fuller to Buccaneers ‘Chris Godwin and Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster. Not a single pass catcher, however, attracts more interest than Allen Robinson.
Still without a long-term deal with the Bears, the 27-year-old No. 1 WR looks set for the open market. He will arrive with three seasons in his 1,100-yard career, including a 1,250-yard campaign in 2020. The former Pro Bowler has battled injuries on several occasions, losing 23 games in seven years, but he was also one of the NFL’s most consistent external targets. when healthy, recording three times at least 80 catches and four times scoring at least six touchdowns.
When researching your potential market for 2021, it is more a question of which teams will not explore the Penn State product. That’s why we’ve covered below a view of 12 of its most logical landing points, ranked by general plans and likely candidates, as well as the latest news and rumors about their status:
Long shots
Bears: Technically, they cannot be ruled out, because Robinson has expressed an interest in making a lot of money from his current club. But let’s be honest: the minute he hits the market, he’ll probably be gone. If Chicago still hasn’t met its demands, it’s hard to believe that the team will keep it going any longer, unless it’s on the franchise brand that Robinson doesn’t want.
Brown: They are prepared to take a big hit now that they’ve proven they can fight the best of them in AFC. A type of robust possession like Robinson would fit perfectly with Baker Mayfield and a run-first offensive. But this is not happening unless the Browns also deal with Odell Beckham Jr. (possible) and are doing well with their first two WRs winning more than anyone else on the team.
Giants: For Daniel Jones’ sake, they should be willing to empty the bank. With Golden Tate as a likely casualty, the need for WR is even more apparent. But unless they are willing to readjust the market (probably overkill for general manager Dave Gettleman, who must pay a lot for Leonard Williams and / or Dalvin Tomlinson), Robinson may not be inclined to hurry up for a marginal candidate.
Packers: Aaron Rodgers would certainly do his part to make that happen, and Robinson would probably take the opportunity, especially with the chance to play against the Bears twice a year. Finance is the problem. It’s one thing for Green Bay to cut bloated wages and stay below the limit. Another is to beat the bid of a group of teams for the best available WR. They will have cheaper alternatives.
Patriots: As much as we love to connect all the big names to New England, Bill Belichick always prefers bargain bets. And there is no conceivable scenario in which Robinson gets a discount for joining a deconstructed Patriots regime in the absence of an infallible QB. Still, with New England in desperate need of armaments and the team full of cover space, that cannot be ruled out.
Contenders
Bengals: As AJ Green is probably heading for a new scenario, Cincinnati does not necessarily need to make big investments in wideout, with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd stuck in the lineup. But buying another gun for Joe Burrow should – and probably will be – a top priority, and the Bengals showed in 2020 that they are not afraid to spend money. They have a lot more once.
Colts: You don’t negotiate with Carson Wentz if you don’t want to compete seriously in the short term. What better way to welcome the new QB than to pair it with a new WR? TY Hilton’s uncertain future makes the position doubly important. And Wentz thrived when he had a big, healthy ex-Bear target before (see: Jeffery, Alshon). It is a question of whether they will meet the asking price.
Dolphins: It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Miami enters 2021 with no plans for a better passing attack, and unless they sell everything except the kitchen sink to get Deshaun Watson, that means making life easier for Your Tagovailoa in QB . With money to spend and sunny, family-friendly Florida skies to offer (not to mention justified hopes in the playoffs), they stand out as a spectacular destination.
Jaguars: Robinson is probably not in a hurry to return to the city where he endured four years of erratic QB play and team management. But Jacksonville brought him into the NFL and can easily match any offer he receives as a free agent. The Jags will also look very different from when he last played for them, boasting a new coach at Urban Meyer and, even better, a likely outstanding QB at Trevor Lawrence.
Jets: This makes more sense than most competitors. New York is desperate for game makers. The jets are loaded with cover space. And they might as well have a brand-new quarterback, not to mention the Big Apple market, to offer. The fact is that GM Joe Douglas hesitated to make “the” spectacular addition before, and with such a deep free agent WR class, he will have other options.
Crows: Few teams outside the Packers make so much footballing sense to Robinson, who would rather fall into an opponent. Baltimore needs Lamar Jackson to become a more consistent field passer, and A-Rob would certainly accelerate the process. The only question is whether they will be ready to meet their monetary demands.
Washington Football Team: A year after hitting the Cowboys’ Amari Cooper, Washington should be even more motivated to sustain a position that could cost Terry McLaurin a running mate. They have a lot of money to make that happen. This is more about Robinson: would he be okay running for a marginal candidate with such an unpredictable QB situation?
Latest news
Robinson looks at the Super Bowl contender: The receiver told Tyler Dunne on February 18 that he is “looking for a Hall of Fame receiver” and “plays meaningful games” and “competes for the Super Bowl”. Most players, of course, have similar goals, but if Robinson is serious about playing for an opponent, that seems to exclude some of the big spenders – like Jets and Jaguars.