Allen Robinson Discusses Bears Contract Talks Amid Trade Rumors

Chicago Bears star Allen Robinson dismissed the notion his contract stalemate with the team will cloud his motivation during the 2020 NFL season.

Robinson is due to hit free agency in the offseason. He told reporters Wednesday the situation "won't be a distraction" and that he wants to remain a member of the team:

"My heart and spirit has never wavered about the city of Chicago and playing for this organization," Robinson told reporters.

Fans were tipped off to possible drama behind the scenes when he began removing references to the Bears from his social media accounts. 

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Robinson wasn't agitating for a trade but was frustrated with how contract negotiations have unfolded:

Adam Schefter of ESPN spoke with Robinson's agent, Brandon Parker, who reiterated the 2015 Pro Bowler hasn't requested a trade. However, the wideout is "unhappy that Chicago has been unwilling to pay him market value for wide receivers."

Robinson's demand isn't unreasonable.

According to Spotrac, his $14 million annual salary is 16th among wide receivers. Within the last few years, he has watched DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen, Michael Thomas, Amari Cooper and Tyreek Hill sign extensions that far outpace his current deal.

Matching Hopkins' $27.3 million average salary will be tough because his resume doesn't match that of the three-time All-Pro. He could plausibly argue he deserves to earn something close to what Allen and Cooper ($20 million) are receiving, though.

The 27-year-old caught 98 passes for 1,147 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019, numbers that deserve some sort of asterisk since Mitchell Trubisky was one of the NFL's worst quarterbacks.

Since they could end up with a new quarterback in 2021, one would presume the Bears want to keep Robinson on the roster beyond this year to stabilize the passing game. Should Chicago fail to do so, it could face some backlash from the fanbase.