Keenan Allen’s Contract Hopes Could Dash Bears Extension
By Cem Yolbulan
The move that excited Bears fans the most this offseason was perhaps the trade that brought Keenan Allen to Chicago. The Chargers legend, coming off an excellent season, was acquired by a single fourth-round pick. Considering the desperate need for more offensive weapons in Chicago, landing a wide receiver coming off of a 1,243 receiving yards season was hard to argue with.
However, how long this union between the Bears and Allen will last remains an open question. The latest reporting by Kris Rhim of ESPN suggests that it might not be as long-lived as some Bears fans are hoping for.
Keenan Allen Has Unrealistic Salary Expectations
Reading this, I would not expect Keenan Allen to be with the #Bears past this year.
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) March 27, 2024
Says his camp proposed a contract that would have made him among the highest paid WRs in the NFL.
Outside of a Mike Evans deal with lesser guarantees, hard to see Poles shelling that out. https://t.co/XROVyrO7XI
According to Rhim, Allen refused a pay cut from the Chargers earlier in the offseason, unlike star teammates Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. This restructuring reportedly included a two-year extension with an average salary of less than his base $18 million.
Instead, Allen's camp wanted a multi-year deal that "would have made Allen among the league's highest-paid receivers". The Chargers, instead of further negotiations, rejected the offer and decided to trade him to the Bears.
The NFL's highest-paid receivers right now include Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, and A.J. Brown, who all make over $25 million per year.
Allen, at this stage of his career is likely not at the same level as that trio. If he were to ask for a similar deal from the Bears, it's very unlikely that general manager Ryan Poles would be willing to give him that. A young team with upside, Chicago should be careful about shelling long-term deals to aging stars, regardless of how good they may be right now.
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