Kennen Allen is the wide receiver record-holder for most all-time receiving statistics on the Los Angeles Chargers. Now, he’ll look to make life easier for Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Pro Bowl wideout is entering the twilight of his career with a new team starting in 2024. Today, it’s time to revisit the deal that sent Allen from the sunny beaches of Los Angeles to the Windy City.
Keenan Allen Trade Details
Allen was traded on March 14, 2024, at the beginning of free agency.
The Bears received:
- Keenan Allen, WR
The Chargers received:
- 2024 fourth-round pick (110th overall)
Players Involved in the Allen Trade
Allen had been with the Chargers for 11 seasons since he was selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of the University of California. He sits behind Antonio Gates for Los Angeles’ all-time receiving yards and catches records with 904 receptions for 10,530 yards.
He finishes behind Lance Alworth and Gates for touchdowns scored in Chargers history.
Now with the Bears, Allen joins an offense that has gone through a transformation of its own. Chicago drafted Williams with the first-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze just eight picks later.
With DJ Moore already on the roster, not only is Allen considered the elder statesman of the room, but he joins a receiving trio that has the potential to be among the best in the NFL.
While no other veterans were included in the deal that sent Allen to Chicago, the fourth-round pick given to Los Angeles was not made by the Chargers.
Instead, they used the 110th pick as part of a package including the 37th overall pick (second round) to jump to No. 34 and select Georgia receiver Ladd McConkey. They also received a fifth-round pick that turned into cornerback Tarheeb Still.
McConkey was a standout during workouts at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine. He recorded 119 catches in his three-year run with the Bulldogs, including two College Football Playoffs National Championships.
Now, McConkey joins a Chargers offense that has been reshaped following the hiring of Jim Harbaugh and the departures of both Allen and Mike Williams.
Winners and Losers From the Allen Trade
It’s always hard to judge how a trade looks months after making it, especially when rookies are involved.
On one hand, the Chargers were never going to want to pay Allen’s $23 million cap hit — especially with other large cap hits for Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa looming. The fact they got a fourth-round pick that turned into a receiver who could become the “next” Allen is solid value.
The Bears, though, brought in a veteran receiver to help grow their rookie passer. In many ways, Chicago’s offense underwent the biggest transformation of any other team in the last few months with Allen, Odunze, Williams, and running back D’Andre Swift all joining the team.
As of now, it appears Chicago’s immediate jump into NFC contention will put them as the winners of this trade, but as the years go on, and if McConkey develops, the judgment of this deal could shift dramatically.
