Chicago Bears trade for 6-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen: What it means for the Bears
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Chicago Bears have officially made their splash of the offseason.
The Bears have traded a fourth-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft for six-time Pro Bowler and Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen.
"We're extremely excited to add Keenan to our team," general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement. "His body of work speaks for itself and we look forward to him elevating our offense."
FOX Sports' Jay Glazer first reported the news Thursday night.
Allen has a connection with the Bears, having worked with former Chargers receivers coach and current Bears receivers coach Chris Beatty. The Bears are giving up on of their two fourth-round selections in the 2024 NFL Draft.
This is a massive move for the Bears.
Going into this week, the Bears had just four receivers under contract: DJ Moore, Collin Johnson, Velus Jones and Tyler Scott.
Now, they get to add Allen to the mix, a skilled possession receiver that's been the embodiment of consistency across his NFL career.
In his 11-year career, Allen has caught 904 passes for 10,530 yards and 59 touchdowns. He won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2017 after a 102-reception, 1,393-yard season the year after tearing his ACL.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 26: Keenan Allen #13 of the Los Angeles Chargers runs onto the field during team introductions prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at SoFi Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ka
What it means for the Bears
This gives the Bears a perfect compliment to Moore.
Moore, a game-breaking No. 1 wide receiver that demands attention from defenses all game long, will now have a consistent threat on the other side of the field that can run a diverse route tree.
Allen's specialty in Los Angeles was his consistency. He's had five 100-yard receiving seasons, including last season where he caught 108 passes for over 1,200 yards at age 31.
In first-year offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's offense last year, the Seahawks utilized three receivers on a consistent basis: Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
So far, the Bears have Moore and Allen. It only stands to think they'll add one more receiver by the end of the offseason, potentially through the draft.
No matter who plays quarterback for the Bears, be it Justin Fields, Caleb Williams or another quarterback, they'll be set up for success in an offense that prioritizes sharing the football and with a front office staff that's committed to building the offense.
So far, the Bears have added running back D'Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett as weapons.
It seems general manager Ryan Poles' plan is starting to come together, with still a whole month before the 2024 NFL Draft where he has the first overall selection and ninth overall selections to work with.
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