Another trade request, another "will they, won't they?" for Eagles fans to debate.
On Tuesday, amid a social media sleuthing and an apparent contract extension scuffle, rumblings emerged from Chicago of 27-year-old wide receiver Allen Robinson approaching Bears management about a trade.
Per the Chicago Tribune:
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"A league source told the Tribune that Robinson has asked about a possible trade.
"How far apart the sides are in negotiations on a new contract is unknown, but it’s highly unlikely Robinson would inquire about the possibility of being traded if they were anywhere near an agreement.
"Robinson is in the final year of a three-year, $42 million contract, and typically the Bears have been able to complete extensions for their top players before they begin a contract year. Despite that precedent for avoiding in-season negotiations, general manager Ryan Pace said last week he wasn’t opposed to continuing to work toward a deal."
Robinson, in the final year of his contract, caught five passes for 74 yards in the Bears' Week 1 win, but it sounds like the Penn State product would like some long-term security.
NFL
I can see both sides of the argument here, but I really don't see the Eagles making this move after their ugly Week 1 loss to Washington.
On the "make the trade" side, Eagles fans and observers will point to the Week 1 loss as exactly why the Birds should make the move. Carson Wentz's continued desire to hold on to the football in the pocket makes one thing that he needs good wide receivers who get open, and Robinson is a good wide receiver.
Over his last 32 games, Robinson has caught 164 passes for 2,074 yards and 11 touchdowns, good for 82 catches, 1,037 yards, and 5.5 touchdowns in a 16-game season. Good numbers for a 27-year-old who likely has prime producing years left!
But those 32 games span five different seasons, because Robinson has been plagued, on and off, by injuries for his entire career. Which is where the "don't make the trade" side enters the conversation. The Eagles' Week 1 loss also highlighted why the deal is a bad idea: the team has continued to invest money and resources into players who are supposed to help Wentz, like Jason Peters and Lane Johnson, and DeSean Jackson, and Alshon Jeffery, but are unable to stay on the field.
Trading for a 27-year-old who has played in 32 games since Jan. 1, 2017, and who carries a $15 million cap hit this year while Howie Roseman wants to roll as much money over to 2021 as possible, is not a prudent decision, no matter how bad the Eagles looked in the second half on Sunday.