The Los Angeles Chargers just sent perennial Pro Bowler Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick and I can’t help but think … what the hell, LA?
Keenan Allen is a STUD. Is he a little injury-prone? Sure, though that charge against him has been slightly overblown as he’s logged double-digit starts every season since he came back from his 2016 ACL tear.
Official announcement from Chargers that they have traded Keenan Allen to the Bears for a fourth-round pick: pic.twitter.com/XfJ6HUdKmp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2024
While healthy he’s been one of the most dominant and productive pass catchers the league has ever seen. His 10,530 receiving yards put him in the top 50 all-time and sixth among active players. But where he’s really prolific is his ability to secure receptions. His 904 catches are 26th-most in NFL history and fourth among active players.
I feel sorry for Chargers QB Justin Herbert who will be throwing to a bunch of no-names next season. Allen was going to be a huge cap hit for them this year of over $23 million and they had no wiggle room in their budget. But still, they cut his fellow receiver Mike Williams and let their star running back Austin Ekeler sign elsewhere. Their offense is going to be extremely raw in newly acquired head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first year.
As for Chicago, I couldn’t love the trade more for them. (RELATED: REPORT: Explosive Allegations From NFL Stud’s College Coach Prompt League Tampering Probe)
The move completes Chicago general manager Ryan Poles’ 2023 draft day trading master class. He traded down from the first overall pick to nine, where he acquired a star receiver in D.J. Moore, this year’s first overall pick and a smattering of other picks. He then traded down one spot, from nine to 10, and acquired a fourth-round pick from the Eagles in the process. That fourth-rounder just netted them Keenan Allen.
Their offense is now primed for whoever their quarterback is going to be. Whether incumbent Justin Fields is the guy or they choose to hand the reigns to projected first-overall pick Caleb Williams, the Bears 2024 QB is going to have a bevy of weapons at his disposal.
Williams seemed to approve of the pickup, liking a tweet that called Allen “The best route runner I seen with my own eyes!!”
Screenshot/Twitter/@CALEBcsw