Keenan Allen traded to Bears for a 4th round pick

This news hurts real, real bad

Adam Shefter and Jay Glazer have reported that Keenan Allen has been traded to Bears for only a fourth round pick.

This is pretty devasting news for Chargers fans. Keenan Allen has been the heart and soul of the offense since Philip Rivers retired. While Justin Herbert is his own kind of unique leader, Keenan’s charisma and swagger have been stable rally points for the offense to get behind. There are few players on the field whose absence is felt more than Allen for this offense.

Yet apparently, Keenan was approached about a pay cut like Joey Bosa and Khalil, and declined.

The fact that a trade was explored shouldn’t be a surprise. Allen is the ultimate security blanket for a young quarterback, with his cerebral approach to the game and ability to consistently great separation and allow a wider window for a quarterback to hit. It wasn’t surprising when news emerged yesterday that the Chargers were getting calls on Allen’s availability.

Adding insult to injury, Keenan Allen fetched a fourth round pick. He is coming off a stellar season, at one point was pacing himself for a career year before the combination of injuries and lack of team success made rest after Week 14 the best option. Had the Chargers retained Allen for the season, it was very likely he would have at least fetched a third round compensatory pick in 2026. Present day picks are certainly worth more than future picks, but the Chargers clearly aren’t getting much value for the absence of Allen in the 2024 season.

Enough of what I have to say – this is a huge bummer. Post your favorite Allen memory below. We’ll follow up with any updates we have.