EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was published before the Chicago Bears agreed to trade quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.
Keenan Allen is ready for the Windy City, even if he never thought he'd leave Los Angeles.
The perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver spent his entire NFL career with the Chargers before Thursday's trade, racking up over 900 receptions and 10,000 receiving yards in powder blue thanks to a route-running dominance that is now expected to help the Bears turn the franchise around.
"I'm definitely excited about the new opportunity," Allen said Saturday in his introductory news conference. "Being with a new organization, this organization has a lot of tradition. Obviously wanted to finish my career [with the Chargers], but things happen and you've got to keep on going."
The surprising trade out of L.A. came to pass after the team approached Allen about a pay cut, which he refused. An entirely new Chargers brass led by head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz didn't have the same loyalty toward Allen others might after seeing him blossom from a 2013 third-round pick when the club was still in San Diego to one of the league's premier wideouts 11 seasons later.
Hortiz and Harbaugh inherited a Chargers team in cap trouble, and made a business decision. Allen, too, approached the request to restructure from a place removed of emotion.
"There really was no emotion, it was, I'm not doing it," he said. "I'm not doing it. Came off my best season, so it's not happening."
The process led Chicago to land a game-changing wide receiver via trade for the second straight offseason.
Allen, who turns 32 in April, inarguably put together his most impressive campaign in 2023. Despite sitting out the final month of games while nursing a heel injury, he set a career high with 108 catches, which he turned into 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns. On a per-game basis, his 95.6 yards was also tops in his so-far terrific NFL tenure.
He pairs perfectly with DJ Moore, acquired last March from Carolina and also coming off his best year as a pro. Allen is liable to make a play anywhere on the field, but he excels at coming open underneath and moving the chains. Moore, whose yards-per-reception average is nearly three more yards than Allen's, will be all the more dangerous deep with a six-time Pro Bowl talent pulling focus opposite him.
"Anytime you've got two guys that can make plays and beat man coverage, it's going to be tough," Allen said of the duo they'll form. "That's anytime. Obviously, he's a guy who's made plays in this league for a long time, and myself as well. Both of us together, it's going to be pretty good."
With the Bears' recent addition of D'Andre Swift, they also boast a stable of complementary running backs, as well as sturdy option at tight end in Cole Kmet. It's the most stacked Chicago has been across the offensive skill positions in roughly a decade, when the club was powered by the likes of Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett.
The lingering question is who will be under center in 2024 to enjoy the offensive riches.
All signs point to Caleb Williams as the front runner to be the Bears' draft pick at No. 1 overall if they start over at quarterback, although Justin Fields remains with the team despite a wave of QB trades, including Sam Howell, Kenny Pickett and Desmond Ridder, taking place throughout the first week of free agency.
Regardless if Fields stays or a rookie signal-caller takes over, Chicago has suddenly become a roster ready-made for development at the position -- especially after Allen's arrival.
"I'm just a friendly guy," he said. "I'm a friendly guy on and off the field. Obviously on the football field, I know the game. I know the ins and outs. I know the zones. I know how to beat man. I know pretty much how to play the game, so I just think I'm friendly for the quarterback because I'll be in the right spots. I know how to communicate with them."
After April 25, Day 1 of the NFL draft, Allen should know exactly who he'll be communicating with come September.
His plan after that is to keep delivering excellence.
"Just continue what I've been doing," Allen said when asked how he'll recalibrate following the trade. "Nothing changes but the jersey for me. That last name's still gonna be on the back."
