The Chicago Bears have been selective in free agency since the negotiating window opened Monday and business started rolling on Wednesday, but they swung big Thursday night to get immediate help for what most believe will be a new quarterback.
A league source confirmed the Bears traded a fourth-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. He will pair with DJ Moore to give the Bears the best pair of wideouts they’ve had since Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall. If the Bears draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick on April 25, he’ll have a host of offensive help that includes tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett and new running back D’Andre Swift.
Allen, who turns 32 in April, was expendable for the Chargers, who were under a serious salary-cap crunch for new coach Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers released wide receiver Mike Williams and then moved to deal Allen after he reportedly was not swayed by an effort to reduce his salary.
Allen is under contract for only one season, and the Bears, who had roughly $44 million in effective cap space remaining, according to overthecap.com, will commit a big chunk of that to the proven playmaker. Allen is due a base salary of $18.1 million, and the Bears also will pay him a roster bonus of $5 million.
The Bears have traded two draft picks this week after previously sending a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for interior offensive lineman Ryan Bates. Now the team has four draft picks remaining: No. 1, No. 9, their third-round pick and a fourth-round pick. It’s not known if the Bears traded the Chargers their own fourth or the one they have from the Philadelphia Eagles.
The addition of Allen gives general manager Ryan Poles a world of opportunities with the No. 9 pick. He could choose an edge rusher, offensive lineman, go for a talented wide receiver in a great draft for the position knowing Allen is only a short-term option or consider a trade-down possibility to add depth. If the Bears keep Allen for only one season, they could recoup a midround compensatory pick in 2026 if he were to leave via free agency.
Allen caught 108 passes for 1,242 yards and seven touchdowns last season teaming with Justin Herbert with the Chargers. He has gone over 1,000 yards six times in his 11-year career and has had five 100-catch seasons in the last seven years.
Considered a technician as a route runner, it’s a significant upgrade for the Bears over Darnell Mooney, who did well for himself, signing a three-year, $39 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. Those numbers are nearly identical to an offer the Bears extended to Mooney before the start of last season, one he turned down before having a season with 40 catches for 493 yards and two touchdowns.
With Moore and Allen, the Bears have an explosive wide receiver on the outside in Moore and a proven first-down machine in Allen. Moore reacted quickly on X, the app formerly known as Twitter.
— DJ Moore (@idjmoore) March 15, 2024
Opposing defensive backs might be reacting similarly as it is setting up to be a completely different offense.