Bears Lose Veteran Playmaker to NFC Contender in New Offseason Prediction

With the franchise long eliminated from NFL playoff contention, Chicago Bearsfans have firmly turned their attention to the offseason in recent weeks. 

Regardless of what happens in Week 18, the Bears are guaranteed to miss the playoffs with a losing record for the fourth straight season. General manager Ryan Poles will have his hands full when handling the roster this season, especially with Chicago rostering 13 players who are slated to hit free agency in March. 

Although Poles & Co. could be interested in re-signing a few of expiring contracts, one NFL analyst is projecting that a certain upcoming Bears free agent is preparing to leave the Windy City. 

Bears Rumors: WR Keenan Allen Projected to Sign with Eagles

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department recently unveiled some offseason predictions. NFC scout Matt Holder is projected that veteran wideout Keenan Allen will leave the Bears to join the Philadelphia Eagles once free agency opens. 

"The (Eagles) front office could explore the free-agent market for a veteran receiver who is looking to make one final push to get a Lombardi Trophy rather than cashing in and stockpiling targets," Holder wrote. "Allen could fit that description, having only made the playoffs three times and never winning a playoff game during his 12 seasons." 

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are two of the NFL's best receivers, however, the Eagles' depth beyond the duo is lacking. After Brown (1,043) and Smith (713), there isn't another wideout on the roster who's hit the 300-yard mark this season, proving why the Eagles might consider targeting the Bears' free-agent weapon. 

Although Allen was only acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers in March, few people would be surprised if his Bears tenure ends that quickly. 

When he was dealt to the Bears, Allen told ESPN that he had "no emotion" about the trade, making it clear he expected to be a Charger for life. Accepting that he couldn't change anything about the situation, the 32-year-old WR manned up and has done what he can to help the Bears on the gridiron since then. 

Now that the offseason is nearly here, though, it seems like Allen's thoughts about leaving Chicago are starting to come to the surface again. 

On Dec. 22, Allen made it clear that a return to the Windy City is far from guaranteed, telling reporters that he needs to prove himself to all 32 teams. If a return to the Bears was realistically on the table, chances are that the ex-California product wouldn't feel the need to prove himself to other organizations.

Even though the Bears' passing game has been far from perfect this season, Allen has excelled at being a reliable target for rookie QB Caleb Williams. The six-time Pro Bowl wideout has tallied 719 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 67 receptions across 14 games, showing that he still has juice left in the tank despite any concerns about his age. 

If Allen does leave down for the Eagles (or any other team), the Bears' WR room could be in shambles. As it stands, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Tyler Scott are the only Chicago wideouts signed through the 2025 season, meaning GM Poles might be forced to focus most of his offseason attention on upgrading the wideout depth chart. 

All 32 NFL teams will be permitted to speak to free agents beginning at 12 p.m. ET on Monday, March 4. That means the Bears now have just over two months to work on re-signing Allen before other GMs can swoop in and send offers to his agent.

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