How cold?: Keenan Allen sends stone-cold message to Chargers after Bears trade
The LA Chargers made the most surprising move possible on Thursday and traded star wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick. Los Angeles had already become cap-compliant prior to the trade, so moving Allen really did come out of nowhere.
The Chargers restructured the contracts of both Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack with both players taking pay cuts to help the Chargers in their cost-cutting quest. Both players still got something out of it (more control of their future), but it did help the team out this year.
Allen was approached to do the same by the Chargers and he said no. While many expected the team to sign Allen to a multi-year extension to reduce his cap hit, the Chargers wanted him to take a pay cut. The veteran wide receiver declined, and shortly thereafter he was traded.
Allen was officially introduced by the Bears on Saturday morning and in addition to being asked a ton about Caleb Williams, Allen was asked about the contract situation with the Chargers before the trade went through. Allen’s response was certainly stone-cold, as he was not going to give the Chargers what they wanted just because he played there for a decade.
