With the start of free agency drawing closer, the NFL’s rumor mill has started turning at a hastened pace. While many teams, including the Chicago Bears, are concentrating on adding players, a select few are trying to dwindle down their rosters. One of those teams is the Los Angeles Rams, who limped their way to a 5-12 record this season after winning the Super Bowl the previous year. The Rams have already released veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that pass rusher Leonard Floyd could be next. In addition, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that wide receiver Allen Robinson has been granted permission to seek a trade. Both of these players spent significant chunks of their respective careers in Chicago — with gaping needs at both edge rusher and wide receiver, could the Bears spark a reunion with either player? Let’s examine the potential fit of both former Bears.
Leonard Floyd
Leonard Floyd started his career with the Bears after being drafted ninth overall in 2016. While he was a solid run defender, he disappointed as a pass rusher during his four seasons in Chicago, accumulating five or more sacks only once. In his three seasons in Los Angeles, Floyd’s pass rush numbers improved, as he recorded at least nine sacks each year. His nine sacks this past year would have easily led the Bears; in fact, defensive linemen Trevis Gipson, Justin Jones, Dominique Robinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad combined for less than Floyd’s season total.
Floyd has only had double-digit sacks once in his career, and he will be 31 years old by the start of the 2023 season. Clearly, he should not be the Bears’ only solution to their hole on the edge. Despite this, Floyd’s abilities as a solid complimentary pass rusher and run defender would be useful in Chicago. If he comes at a cheap price (teams do not seem likely to start a bidding war for him), he could be a decent offseason addition for the Bears.
Allen Robinson
Unlike Leonard Floyd, Allen Robinson’s Bears career started well. In his first three seasons in Chicago, he racked up over 3,000 receiving yards and was a consistent target for quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles. However, Robinson’s fourth and final season with the Bears was clouded by failed contract negotiations and poor play. He failed to reach the 500 yard mark and often seemed disinterested in playing. Many fans chalked this up to former head coach Matt Nagy’s playcalling, but the trend continued in his first season with the Rams. Fresh off signing a three-year deal worth over $15 million annually, Robinson played in only ten games and racked up a meager 339 yards while oftentimes looking lost or bored out on the field.
Allen Robinson’s play style has never been heavily reliant on athleticism, so typically the fact that he is approaching 30 would not be too much of a concern. But his apparent disinterest in the game of football is worrisome, to say the least. And while a trade for Robinson would not require much draft capital, taking on his bloated contract is not an ideal move, not to mention that his tenure with the Bears did not end on the most amicable of terms. Overall, while Robinson was productive in Chicago and he clearly fits a need, the Bears will probably avoid him this offseason.
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