Keenan Allen Talks Possible Bears Contract Extension After Trade from Chargers

Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen's first year with the Chicago Bears also happens to be the final year on his contract, but it sounds like he's open to the possibility of remaining in the Windy City for longer than that.

While there hasn't been much buzz about Allen receiving a contract extension from the Bears, he recently indicated that he would be willing to engage in discussions for a new deal.

"I'm going to play as long as I can," Allen said Tuesday, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times (h/t Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk). "As far as an extension, I'm going to let the play speak for itself, and if they offer me something that I like, we'll go from there."

Allen spent the first 11 years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers before the franchise shipped him to the Bears in March in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft. The 32-year-old is coming off his sixth Pro Bowl season in which he posted a career-high 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns despite playing just 13 games in 2023.

The Bears have a talented receiver corps led by Allen, D.J. Moore and rookie Rome Odunze, who was selected with the No. 9 pick in this year's draft. It's unclear if Chicago would want to make a long-term investment in Allen while the team continues to focus on youth and build for the future.

Still, Allen's presence should work wonders for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the 2024 No. 1 pick. If Allen and Williams develop a chemistry that propels the Bears to success this season, it would be wise for the team to keep him around beyond this year.