Tarik Cohen's Perplexing Pay Day Looms Larger

Is it possible the Bears will have a difficult time coming up with a viable offer for Tarik Cohen because he's not your standard player? He's a receiver, a running back, a return man, and has even thrown the ball on occasion.

USA Today

It appears some parameters are being set for the Bears when it comes to a potential Tarik Cohen contract extension, and the negotiators will need them.

Cohen will take up more Bears cap money regardless of contract negotiations because he qualified for the proven performance escalator for hitting a specified amount of snaps in his first three seasons. He'll get a $2.14 million hike this year now.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted news Wednesday of a contract extension for Oakland Raiders third-down back Jalen Richard at two years and $7 million, with $4.6 million guaranteed.

Finding comparable salary figures for hybrid-type positions like third-down back can't be easy because of the comparisons that need to be made in determining cash levels. 

Cohen lives in a multiverse of sorts, and has called himself a wide receiver in the past while knowing full well receivers tend to make more.

Richard is the Raiders' third-down back and has played four seasons. Cohen will be coming up on his contract season in Year 4 in 2020 and the Bears will face an extension decision. His demands likely will—and should—be much greater. It probably will be for a bigger pay day even than Duke Johnson received from the Houston Texans.

Johnson received a three-year, $15.6 million deal with $7.75 million guaranteed. Johnson averages 511 offensive plays a seasonh. He's averaged 76.4 rushing attempts and 339 yards rushin with seven total touchdowns, while averaging 55.8 receptions for 516 yards with 11 TDs.

Cohen's numbers are better. He averages 342 yards rushing a season, about 19 more. He's averaging 68 receptions, 12 more than Johnson, and almost the exact same number of yards receiving a season at 511.

Cohen really is more than a third-down back. He'll be on the field in various formations at wide receiver or in the slot.

The difference here from Johnson, of course, is Cohen is the Bears' punt returner and led the league in 2018 when he made the Pro Bowl. Johnson does not play special teams.

When the Bears set out to talk contract with Cohen, presuming they do, they'll have to take into account the special teams aspect and how much they value this.

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