It has been all quiet on the Keenan Allen front this offseason.
You’d think that the six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver would have found a landing spot by now. But Allen, 32, remains on the free-agent market. How much longer he will be available remains to be seen. Keenan Allen will likely receiver clarity about his next destination when we get closer to NFL Draft time and teams complete their evaluations of this class of receiver prospects. However, I wouldn’t rule out something happening before then — even if it isn’t with the Chicago Bears.
This is a nice catch by Bears Wire’s Brendan Sugrue:
Keenan Allen has been pretty quiet about free agency up until now… pic.twitter.com/ondunEjPI7
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) March 29, 2025
Back in January, Keenan Allen doubled down on his interest in returning to the Bears for another season. But while doing so, the veteran receiver also laid out that the only places he was open to playing next season were Chicago and Los Angeles — which happen to be the two cities he has played for professionally in his NFL career. The Rams’ signing of free agent Davante Adams likely puts them out of the running for Allen. But maybe that image above is a sign that things are lining up for a return to the Chargers.
I wouldn’t bet on Keenan Allen playing for the Bears in 2025
It was exciting to see the Chicago Bears swing a trade for Keenan Allen last spring. Allen’s résumé is that of someone who can make a strong case to head to Canton and be inducted and enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Allen is a six-time Pro Bowler who has six seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards, and five 100+ catch campaigns. After seeing what Keenan did for Justin Herbert during his rookie season with the Los Angeles Chargers, it was easy to dream about what Allen could do for Caleb Williams in his first year as a pro. Unfortunately, things did not go to plan.
Keenan Allen finished the season with 70 catches, 744 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns in 15 games. Those are respectable numbers, to be sure. And if the Bears could find a WR3 who put up those numbers in 2025, I’d be a happy camper. But much more was expected of Allen, who got off to a slow start due to injuries and didn’t hit his stride with his rookie QB until it was far too late in the season for it to matter in the standings. Perhaps with that in mind, the Bears haven’t been connected with the Pro Bowl receiver on the offseason rumor mill.
CHICAGO BEARS 2024 EXIT INTERVIEWS: KEENAN ALLEN
The unpredictable nature of the NFL transaction wire has me in a constant “never say never” state of mind. But with that being said, I highly doubt the Bears will run it back with Keenan Allen for another season. This isn’t to say that I wouldn’t be open to it. I would … but only if the price is right and the scheme is a good fit. Keenan still probably has enough gas in the tank. But Chicago’s football team could use a different kind of wideout in that WR3 role in 2025. Perhaps a receiver with a different skill set could help unlock another level to Caleb Williams’ quarterbacking.
MORE: Keenan Allen Gave Caleb Williams a Big Vote of Confidence
In the end, I think we’ve seen the last of Keenan Allen in a Bears uniform. And while it didn’t end the way any of us would’ve liked, the journey was a trip.
written by
Luis C. Medina
Luis C. Medina is a Senior Writer at Bleacher Nation. Since launching BN's Bears wing in 2017, he has written about 5 head coaches, 6 play-callers, and 10 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019. You can find him on Twitter here.
