As the NFL offseason draws closer, the rumor mill has started to heat up. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper recently reported that, in a move to free up cap space, the Los Angeles Chargers could look to cut five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. The move would save the Chargers, a team currently projected to be $23.4 million over the cap, nearly $15 million.
Though he has struggled with injuries as of late, Allen is still a productive receiver. Despite playing in only 10 games this season, he racked up 66 receptions for 752 yards. The previous year, he played in 16 games and accumulated well over 1,000 yards. When he’s on the field, Allen has proven that he can still be a reliable target.
Signing Keenan Allen would provide a consistent, possession-oriented receiver for young quarterback Justin Fields. Allen’s ability to get open in the middle of the field and come down with almost every ball thrown his way would be a nice change of pace from the other receivers on the Bears’ roster. A big knock on Allen’s game is his speed; he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds at the draft combine and hasn’t exactly gotten more limber in the near-decade he’s been in the league. But his size and route-running ability would make him a consistent target for Justin Fields who would complement Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool’s big play-oriented skill sets.
Bringing in Keenan Allen on a somewhat cheap deal would give the Chicago Bears an experienced, talented target to aid in their receiver woes. As the team searches to improve nearly every facet of the roster this offseason, they should seriously consider bringing in the veteran receiver.
