The past week has seen new Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz take major steps aimed at cleaning up the team’s salary cap situation. That effort included restructures for edge rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, along with the release of wideout Mike Williams. Franchise mainstay Keenan Allen was – to the surprise of many, including the six-time Pro Bowler himself – dealt to the Bears in another cost-shedding move. 
[RELATED: Texans, Jets Were Interested In Allen Trade]
Los Angeles acquired a fourth-round pick from Chicago after approaching Allen about a pay cut. The 31-year-old declined, citing the strength of his statline from 2023. After expressing confidence he would remain in place for at least the 2024 season, Allen doubled down on the fact he was not expecting to be dealt during his introductory press conference on Saturday.
[I] obviously wanted to finish my career [with the Chargers], but things happen and you’ve got to keep on going,” Allen said. When asked about being asked to take a pay cut, he added, “there really was no emotion, it was, I’m not doing it. I’m not doing it. Came off my best season, so it’s not happening” (h/t NFL.com).
Indeed, Allen’s 95.6 yards per game from the 2023 campaign represent the highest figure of his decorated career. He was limited to 13 contests, but still managed to set a new personal mark in receptions (108) and yards (1,243). While a cap hit of over $34MM would have been challenging to absorb had the Chargers elected to keep him, their decision to cut Williams and re-work the Mack and Bosa pacts would have made it doable. Now, the WR spot faces a number of questions entering 2024 for Los Angeles.
For the Bears, Allen’s arrival will give the team a high-profile tandem alongside vertical threat D.J. Moore. Chicago has also added running back D’Andre Swift as well as tight end Gerald Everett to a new-look skill position room. The new arrivals (along with OC Shane Waldron, hired as Luke Getsy‘s replacement) will be tasked with helping a rookie quarterback improve on the offense’s poor showing from 2023. Maintaining his strong play on third down in particular would go a long way to achieving that goal in Allen’s case.
One year remains on the Cal alum’s contract, so he will have plenty of motivation to thrive in the Windy City in his debut season with the Bears. After seeing his 11-year Chargers tenure come to an end, it will be interesting to see how long he winds up playing in Chicago.
Harbaugh’s offense and Roman’s offense if we’re getting technical since that’s his only OC he’s had in the pros has never had prolific receivers anyway. It’s going to be some Ground Knox type of offensive football in LA with timely throws to move the sticks.
Were you trying to say Ground Chuck?
It’s the modified, updated 21st century version.
So, the Bears give a 4th for Allen and then get a conditional 6th which could be a 4th? So, if that 6th becomes a 4th, then it’s Allen = Fields? Personally, I think that’s a little out of whack. However, that’s the salary cap-influenced evaluation talking.
No. What it shows is what happens when you keep pushing salaries down the road to keep playing the same guys over and over with the same bad results. It’s probably what the Bears are going to do now with Allen and sign him to an extension so they can save money now. The problem with that is the bill comes due eventually like it’s doing this year for the Dolphins , Chargers and Bills. Now those teams are paying the price for what? How many Playoff games have they won lately? They kept overpaying for the same guys with no positive end result. Look in this League the smart play is if a guy wants more money and you’re not in the Super Bowl let him walk. Take the Compensatory pick. Keep your draft picks, Replace them. Poles has this alarming thing about trading draft picks for current players who are overpaid. He started out trading back and should KEEP doing that. They have a 1st and 2 seconds next year right now. Let Allen walk. Draft a WR to replace him. They should get a 4th for Mooney next year. They would get another one for Allen the year after that. It’s what the Packers do every year. Trade back not forward or sideways. It’s a winning formula. More picks not less is the way to go. I can’t believe people can’t see that.
They will only get comp picks if they’ve signed less players to multi year deals over the vet minimum than are going out. Bates, Allen, and Byard won’t count against them in the comp pick formula. Swift, Jonathan Owens & Gerald Everett were signed to multi year deals, so they make them -3. Their other signings have been one year deals (Shelton, Pryor, Curran, Rypien, Pettit, Martin, & Amen).
Mooney & Justin Jones signings bring that to -1. Feeney signed a one year deal going out, while the rest of their FAs have yet to sign, with Whitehair and Eddie Jackson not counting because of being post-June 1 cuts.
So, currently the Bears would need two of Ngakoue, Green, Patrick, Foreman, Cole, St Brown, Tonyan, or Mercedes Lewis to sign multi year deals before the draft to get at least one comp pick in 2025. Likely not happening…
I’m guessing the Chargers choices will be Nabers, Odunze and Bowers at #5 because I don’t see MHJ getting past the Cards at #4.
Rumors are Vikings looking to acquire the Cards pick, so maybe??? I sure hope so because they should have gotten Zay Flowers (and still cannot understand why not), so go for it! Put athleticism on the field!
the bears are taking Williams at #1 overall now since the fields trade to the Steelers. Could you imagine if somehow Brock Bowers fell to the Bears at #9 overall? They could have Moore, Allen, and Bowers with a very good DeAndre Swift as the starting RB. That would be one of the best offenses a rookie QB that goes #1 overall could have in his rookie season. I doubt the bears take Bowers even if he fell to #9 but that is a nice thought.
Except the Bears are already paying Kmet 11 million bucks a year. What’s he supposed to do, Hold a clipboard? Another bad idea. I’d rather they draft Turner for an edge. Makes more sense. look the Bears had too many holes to fill in one year. It would have taken a miracle to fill them all. They shored up Safety nicely. They added like 5 OL and hopefully they’re better than what they had. Swift solidifies RB. Allen helps but for 23 million he’s not exactly the healthiest guy in the NFL. The defense is pretty well set. Probably need a 3 technique in the draft later. They’re going to have to hope Scott takes a huge step up this year and they get lucky with a cheap WR who can play. Next year you can get a stud WR in the 1st and if Poles doesn’t trade them away 2 seconds. Then they’ll have filled all the holes except maybe Head Coach. We’ll see. They could fill all the holes by trading #1 back But nobody wants to see the reality. They want the shiny bauble that will probably stink this year no matter who it is.
Bears left a gaping hole at RT going into the 2023 draft and now have gaping holes at QB and DE. They’ll take a DE or DT with their second first round pick…it’s a near lock unless somehow Odunze fell to them at #9.
Not sure how old you are but the Bears have had a gaping hole at OT since Jimbo Covert retired. Hopefully Wright is a long term answer at RT while Brandon Jones is adequate at LT. Jones is Charles Leno 2.0. If the Bears would have traded 1 back again they could have added a 3rd OT at 9 and plugged the holes there. They painted themselves into a corner now by having to take a QB at 1 ( Or no less than 3 if they do trade back), Then they should take the best option at 9 whether it is a DE or WR and roll with Jones again and hope 1 of the linemen they signed is better than Borom. Shouldn’t be too hard and cheaper also.