NFL | The Jets, Texas had been thinking about Keenan Allen earlier than he was traded to the Bears

Lake Forest, Unwell. — Earlier than being traded from the Chargers to the Bears on Thursday, vast receiver Keanon Allen revealed that Los Angeles allowed him to discover a number of choices the place he may proceed his profession after spending 11 seasons with the franchise. wished to maintain .

“There have been a few groups that might let me say the place I wished to go,” Allen stated Saturday. “I solely had two groups.”

In keeping with Allen, these two groups had been the New York Jets and the Houston Texans.

The Chargers had been $21 million over the wage cap earlier than free company formally started Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. Within the technique of changing into cap compliant, go rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack each agreed to pay cuts whereas the workforce launched veteran vast receiver Mike Williams.

After restructuring his contract final offseason, Allen refused to take a pay minimize and was subsequently traded to the Bears for a fourth-round choose (No. 110).

“It wasn’t actually an emotion. It was ‘I am not doing it,'” Allen stated of his response to being requested to restructure his contract. “I am not doing it. I simply got here off my greatest season, so it isn’t occurring.”

Regardless of lacking the ultimate 4 video games of the 2023 season with a heel damage, Allen set the Chargers’ singles document for receptions (108) and led the workforce with 1,243 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns.

The six-time Professional Bowl vast receiver left the Chargers second on the workforce’s all-time receiving checklist (10,530 yards, 904 catches) and third in touchdowns (59). He’s coming into his fifth season with 100 receptions, which is third most in NFL historical past, behind solely Antonio Brown and Brandon Marshall. Allen additionally holds the document for many video games with 15 receptions (three) and is tied for fourth most video games with 10 receptions. He had 4 video games with 10 receptions final season, which tied for second within the NFL.

Allen, 31, has one yr remaining on a four-year, $80.1 million contract extension he signed Sunday with a $5 million roster bonus in 2020. Whereas he stated he and the Bears are “sooner or later at a time” approaching the potential for a brand new deal, he hopes to stick with his new workforce on a long-term foundation.

“Completely,” Alan stated. “Or we would not be right here but. Clearly, we’ll get there down the road.”

Along with pairing Allen with vast receiver DJ Moore, who’s coming off a career-best yr, the Bears signed working backs D’Andre Swift and Gerald Everett in free company. Subsequent month, the Bears will lead the draft with the No. 1 general choose on April 25 with the potential to draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

Allen began Justin Herbert’s NFL profession with the Chargers and expressed his want to do the identical, whether or not Chicago sticks with present quarterback Justin Fields, who’s coming into his fourth NFL season, or a rookie quarterback. Transferring into the again.

“I feel I am only a pleasant man,” Allen stated. “I am a pleasant man on and off the sphere. Clearly on the soccer area, I do know the sport, I do know the ins and outs, I do know the zone, I understand how to beat a person, I just about know the way to play. The sport. I simply assume I am pleasant to the quarterback as a result of I’ll be in the best spot. I understand how to speak with him, and my physique. The language is strong too.”