Chicago has pulled off a blockbuster commerce, although it isn’t the one many have been anticipating.
The Bears are buying Professional Bowl broad receiver Keenan Allen from the Chargers in change for a 2024 fourth-round choose (No. 110 general), NFL Community Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday evening.
FOX’s Jay Glazer first reported the information.
As Chi-City and the NFL world are nonetheless awaiting what is going to occur with quarterback Justin Fields and the crew’s No. 1 general choose within the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears have added a six-time Professional Bowl wideout in Allen who was approached about taking a pay lower by the Chargers, however declined, Rapoport reported.
The Chargers had been on the hook for a $34.7 million wage cap hit with Allen’s present contract. It was one in every of 4 $30-million-plus cap hits on the books, together with broad receiver Mike Williams and move rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. Los Angeles launched Williams on Wednesday and restructured Bosa and Mack’s offers on Thursday to retain them. With Allen apparently unwilling to budge on his contract, he is now being traded after 11 seasons with the Bolts in a transfer he did not see coming as just lately as February when he made his newest Professional Bowl journey.
Chicago has cap area aplenty with $56.3 million obtainable, per Over the Cap, however it might appear unlikely that some quantity crunching is not forward. Allen, who will flip 32 in April, is coming into the ultimate season of a four-year, $80 million contract with a base wage of $18.1 million. He is additionally coming off among the finest seasons of his embellished profession, having hauled in a career-best 108 receptions for 1,243 yards and 7 touchdowns.
On paper, Allen ought to pair tremendously reverse area stretcher D.J. Moore. Whether or not he is catching balls from Fields or maybe Caleb Williams, who’s prognosticated by most to go together with the highest choose of the draft, stays to be seen.
“We’re extraordinarily excited so as to add Keenan to our crew,” Bears normal supervisor Ryan Poles stated in a press release. “His physique of labor speaks for itself and we look ahead to him elevating our offense.”
For the Chargers, it is the closing of a serious chapter in crew historical past.
Allen is second behind solely Antonio Gates with 904 receptions and 10,530 yards they usually’re the one two Chargers gamers to eclipse 900 catches and 10,000 yards. His 59 touchdowns are third in franchise historical past.
“What Keenan Allen has meant to the Chargers for greater than a decade can not adequately be expressed via mere phrases,” Chargers president of soccer operations John Spanos stated in a press release. “Keenan’s impression lives within the hearts of our followers, within the communities which he has served and amongst the numerous teammates who’ve fashioned a brotherhood with him. There’ll solely be one Keenan Allen, and we can not thank him sufficient for the contributions he has made to our group each on and off the sector.”
Now, Allen is leaving L.A. for the Windy Metropolis as a part of a story of two groups going via landmark adjustments inside their halls.