Three potential landing spots for six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen

With a new regime taking over the worst salary cap situation in the NFL (-$25.18M), the Los Angeles Chargers are taking calls on several long-time starters. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, star wide receiver Keenan Allen is among the veterans that Los Angeles is listening to offers on.

While Breer notes that Allen is a less likely trade candidate than OLBs Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa and WR Mike Williams, the 31-year-old could net the best return for the Chargers. Allen is entering the final year of his current deal and is coming off a resurgent 2023 season, where he caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.

Los Angeles would save $23.1M by trading Allen, and with the opportunity to select a talented wideout with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it might make sense to let him go. Here are three teams that could be a fit for the six-time Pro Bowler. 

Chicago Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles has developed a knack for making high-profile trades, and while Allen doesn't necessarily fit the timeline for Chicago's young roster, he'd be an intriguing addition. 

One of the NFL's worst-kept secrets is that the Bears will move on from QB Justin Fields and select USC signal-caller Caleb Williams first overall in April. Despite being deemed a generational prospect, Williams would benefit from having another reliable weapon to lean on as he develops. Allen is as consistent a receiver as they come, given that he's racked up at least 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards in five of the last seven seasons.

Bringing in Allen would also give the Bears plenty of flexibility with their No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, considering some expect them to take a wideout with this selection. Additionally, even if Chicago didn't want to re-sign Allen, it could easily replace him with someone in a potentially loaded 2025 free-agent wide receiver class. 

New England Patriots 

On Tuesday, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reported that the Patriots "checked in with" Los Angeles regarding each of its potential trade candidates. An edge-rusher like Mack or Bosa makes sense for New England, but so does adding a wide receiver after sixth-round rookie DeMario Douglas led the team in receiving last season with a mere 561 yards.

Even though Allen is aging and only under contract for 2024, the Patriots seem interested in adding a veteran to their receiving corps. After all, the team "is pushing to sign" Calvin Ridley, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, though it appears he would prefer to re-sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Not to mention that, just like Chicago, New England is expected to select a quarterback with its 2024 first-round pick. However, the supporting cast the Patriots can offer a rookie is significantly worse than Chicago's, so trading for Allen would be less of a luxury and more of a necessity. 

New York Jets 

The Jets are in the midst of a crucial offseason, as it could be GM Joe Douglas and HC Robert Saleh's last in their current roles if the team doesn't get the results it's looking for. Douglas, in particular, needs to right the wrongs of the disastrous wide receiver acquisitions he has made over the past few years and get another premier target for QB Aaron Rodgers.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Jets explored trading for WR Jerry Jeudy before he was shipped to Cleveland for 2024 fifth- and sixth-round picks. Although Allen would surely cost substantially more to acquire, it'd still be a better bargain than the price the former Broncos wideout went for. 

With an offense featuring Rodgers, Allen, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, New York would be well-positioned to finally rank higher than the bottom five scoring teams, which it hasn't done since 2018.