National Football League

Bears acquire WR Keenan Allen from Chargers in exchange for fourth-round pick

Updated Mar. 15, 2024 9:32 a.m. ET

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The Los Angeles Chargers are trading wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, per FOX Sports' Jay Glazer.

So far this offseason, the Bears added Allen, former Eagles RB D'Andre Swift, TE Gerald Everett, S Kevin Byard, C Colemen Shelton and DB Jonathan Owens in hopes of turning around the franchise.

Chicago also has the No. 1 and No. 9 picks in next month's NFL Draft after finishing with a 7-10 overall record last season.

Allen, a Pro Bowl selection from 2017-2021 and in 2023, has spent all 11 seasons of his NFL career with the Chargers. He was drafted in the third round of the 2013 Draft back when the Chargers were still in San Diego. 

Allen is going into the final season of a four-year extension he signed in 2020. The veteran wide receiver declined to take a pay cut or restructure his contract, according to a person familiar with the trade. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the person isn’t at liberty to publicly discuss personnel moves.

Allen’s salary cap number for the upcoming season is $34.7 million, including a $5 million roster bonus due on Sunday. He restructured his contract last season, with most of his base salary converted to a roster bonus to give the Chargers more flexibility.

The Chargers were $21 million over the salary cap before the start of free agency on Wednesday, and they responded with moves involving the top four players on their roster with the biggest salary cap numbers. They released wide receiver Mike Williams while linebackers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack agreed to restructure their contracts.

"What Keenan Allen has meant to the Chargers for more than a decade cannot adequately be expressed through mere words," Chargers President of Football Operations John Spanos said in a statement. "Keenan’s impact lives in the hearts of our fans, in the communities which he has served and amongst the countless teammates who have formed a brotherhood with him. There will only be one Keenan Allen, and we cannot thank him enough for the contributions he has made to our organization both on and off the field."

In his most recent season, Allen finished with 1,243 yards on 108 receptions and seven touchdowns across 13 games.

The Chargers, who finished 5-12 last season, hold the No. 5 overall pick in the upcoming draft. 

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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