Bears listed as favorites in Allen Robinson sweepstakes

The 2020 season has come and gone, and the Bears have yet to come to an agreement on a contract extension with star wide receiver Allen Robinson.

Robinson had been on record stating his interest in re-signing with Chicago, but he recently noted that the team hasn’t reached out to him regarding a new contract since September. He also noted that he is open to just about everything, indicating his availability in the open market going forward.

Though the Bears find themselves backed into a corner with a situation they arguably forced themselves into, they are listed being looked at as the most likely landing spot for Robinson, at least for the 2021 season.

As of Feb. 12, Robinson was being given odds of +275 to return to the Bears. Those odds were the highest among any team and translate to roughly 26.7 percent. The Jaguars, Robinson’s former team for whom he played from 2014 to 2017, are given the second-highest odds at +400. Other contenders listed include the Ravens, Colts and Dolphins.

While they aren’t being given truly favorable odds, the fact that the Bears are still listed as the most-likely spot for Robinson come Week 1 makes sense. Not only is a contract extension still financially possible, but Chicago also has the option to extend the franchise tag to Robinson, tying him to the franchise for another year.

The Bears are also listed with the fifth-highest odds to land Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster at +650. The 24-year-old Pro Bowler is likely to leave Pittsburgh this offseason, and if Robinson ends up with another team, Smith-Schuster would be one of the more talented options in free agency for the Bears to choose from.