The Chicago Bears have the building components of a great team, with the exception of the offensive line, but some of those parts could go after the season ends.
At the top of that list is wide receiver Keenan Allen, who is in the final year of his $80.1 million contract and has no hopes for an extension in Chicago.
Allen, 32, has emerged as the season has progressed following a slow start due to a combination of injury issues (heel), a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams finding his footing, and a coaching staff/offensive scheme that has seen its architect (former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron) and his boss (former head coach Matt Eberflus) both lose their jobs mid-season.
Through ten games this season, the six-time Pro Bowl wideout has caught 44 catches for 441 yards and five touchdowns (he missed two). While those numbers are impressive, they are far from what Allen has produced in any somewhat healthy season since 2017.
Chicago has two more highly skilled pass catchers in the receiver room, DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze, both of whom are under contract for several years, as well as a number of obvious offensive line needs. As a result, a large contract for an older Allen with a recent history of injury issues seems unlikely.
However, this does not imply he has lost all of his worth as an upcoming free agent in spring 2025. On Monday, December 2, Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department identified Allen as a viable candidate for the Denver Broncos (8-5).
“Keenan Allen is getting into the end of his career,” B/R noted in an email. “The Broncos would benefit from signing someone like the 32-year-old on a one-year deal.
” Allen will undoubtedly seek a multiyear contract, which he should be able to obtain, whether from the Broncos or another organization. If teams only offer Allen one-year contracts, there is still a chance he will return to Chicago if he likes the direction the team is going in March.
That said, Allen is a sure-handed playmaker and savvy route runner that an up and coming QB like Bo Nix in Denver could benefit from greatly (the same logic the Bears front office had when bringing him in to help Williams this season), which means Allen is likely to end up with a team other than Chicago that will make the addition of a starting receiver a greater financial priority in the coming offseason
Spotrac estimates Allen’s market value at $16.6 million each year over a new two-year contract (more than $33 million in total). The website estimates that Chicago will have more over $81 million in salary cap space by 2025. However, the Bears will most likely pursue options to strengthen the offensive line in free agency and the draft, making Allen’s almost $17 million annual salary a luxury to forego.
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