Tag: Keenan Allen

Caleb Williams reacts to the Bears drafting WR Rome Odunze

Caleb Williams couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw the Bears select Rome Odunze.

New Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t have to wait long to see who his new teammate would be—and he was pretty darn happy about it. The Bears selected wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick, giving Williams a new weapon to utilize in a suddenly stacked offense. After seeing the two develop a friendship over the last few months during the pre-draft process, it should come as no surprise to see Williams’ reaction to the selection.

Williams couldn’t contain his excitement backstage when he saw Odunze’s name pop up. “I would have spiked this water if we didn’t have cameras,” he said. “We got our guy,” he said while smiling. It’s pretty clear he’s thrilled about the new addition.

Williams and Odunze were opponents the last two years when they were at USC and Washington, respectively, but got to know one another during their time in the PAC-12. The two were seen dapping each other up at the NFL Combine and made some news earlier this week when they were on the same flight to Detroit. They also worked out with Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. Now, all four are teammates on the Bears.

Bears QB Caleb Williams jersey number revealed

Caleb Williams has only been a Bear for a short time, but he already has a jersey number picked.

Caleb Williams has only been a Chicago Bear for a short time, but he already has his jersey number set. Shortly after he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears announced Williams would wear No. 18 in the pros in a very cool reveal on social media.

Williams had worn No. 13 throughout college at both Oklahoma and USC, but wore No. 18 when he was in high school. Now, he’s going back in that direction with the Bears. Perhaps part of that is due to new wide receiver Keenan Allen, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers in a trade back in March. Allen has worn No. 13 for his entire career and expressed a desire to keep it when he joined the Bears.

Unfortunately, those fans who purchased No. 13 Williams jerseys will now have a fun collectible. Perhaps they can duct tape Allen’s name over the nameplate ahead of the 2024 season.

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The Chicago Bears are checking all the boxes for QB Caleb Williams

It sounds like the Bears have impressed Caleb Williams with how the team has been constructed.

Just a few short months ago, rumors were spreading that presumptive first-overall pick Caleb Williams wouldn’t want to play for the Chicago Bears due to their track record at the quarterback position. At that point, the Bears had recently locked up the top pick by way of the Carolina Panthers and had Williams in their sights while coming off a 7-10 season that saw multiple coaching changes on the offensive side of the ball.

Since then, the Bears have made key moves to bolster their offense, whether it’s bringing in new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, signing running back D’Andre Swift, or trading for Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. With those additions, joining wide receiver DJ Moore, tight end Cole Kmet, and an above-average offensive line, it’s all setting up for an ideal situation for Williams, who is set to become the Bears’ next quarterback in less than a week when the NFL Draft gets underway. Based on reports and recent comments, he’s pretty happy with what the Bears and the city of Chicago have to offer.

On Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared a breakdown of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft with insight from executives and scouts. Not surprisingly, Williams was at the top, but Pelissero revealed information on how the quarterback viewed the Bears’ situation following his top 30 visit.

Team officials have stayed in touch with Williams since via video chat sessions, just talking football. There still is a matter of agreeing to a contract, which could be more complicated than a normal slotted deal, given the uniqueness of Caleb’s draft process thus far. But sources say the quarterback’s conversations with the Bears have been very frank and positive. The Williams camp sent the message early about what it wanted — investment and infrastructure to help Caleb reach his next goal of chasing Tom Brady and winning Super Bowls — and the Bears so far have delivered. 

The smoke that surrounded Williams’ alleged disinterest in Chicago has fully cleared, and it sounds like he’s bought into what the Bears have to offer. Having a strong infrastructure is important for the 22-year-old quarterback, who has made it known he wants to win and become a legend in the game.

That was evident during a recent interview on the Pivot Podcast. During the interview, Williams is asked how he will help Chicago win a championship. “Now that I want to play at one place for 20 years and chase one guy, No. 12 (Tom Brady),” Williams said. “I want a place that loves ball. That’s all I’ve heard about Chicago so far.”

The Bears have the pieces in place for Williams to succeed out of the gate, and Chicago has the passion behind their football team that he desires. It sounds like the Bears have checked all of the boxes for Williams, and he’s fired up to become the team’s next quarterback, who will hopefully give them a true franchise quarterback for the first time in half a century.

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Who will wear No. 13 for the Bears this season?

Tyler Scott recently changed his jersey number from 13 to 10. Will Keenan Allen or Caleb Williams be the next to wear it?

With just over two weeks to go until the 2024 NFL Draft, all eyes are on the Chicago Bears as they hold the No. 1 overall pick. But the questions these days are less about who they will select with that pick, but which number will he wear?

It’s all but certain Chicago is gearing up to select USC’s Caleb Williams as the top pick, given the numerous meetings the two sides have had, coupled with the lack of visits from the other quarterback prospects. When he finally becomes a Bear, though, will he wear his college number 13? Or will that go to new Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen?

The Bears acquired Allen last month for a fourth-round pick from the Los Angeles Chargers, where he spent the entirety of his career while wearing No. 13.

Whether it’s Williams or Allen, someone new is getting it because Tyler Scott, who wore No. 13 last year during his rookie season, has changed to No. 10. The question now becomes: will Allen or Williams take the number?

Williams isn’t a member of the Bears yet, but Allen has already expressed a desire to keep his old number. During his opening press conference in March, Allen was asked if he would keep No. 13 with the Bears. “I’m going to try to,” Allen said with a smile. Perhaps he got his wish.

A number change doesn’t make a difference in the grand scheme of things, but it’s been a topic of conversation amongst Bears fans for the last few weeks. It looks like we’re closer to knowing the answer, but maybe hold off on ordering those jerseys.

How Bears’ offer for Keenan Allen compared to another team’s

The Chargers had plenty of interest for Keenan Allen, who was ultimately dealt to the Bears. But how did Chicago’s offer compare to another?

The Chicago Bears made a splash when they traded for Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen, sending a fourth-round pick (No. 110) to the Los Angeles Chargers.

It’s a move that helped shore up one of the team’s biggest needs at wide receiver, providing a true complement to DJ Moore ahead of the arrival of presumptive No. 1 pick, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

According to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, the Bears weren’t the only team who made an offer for Allen. The Houston Texans, armed with their own young quarterback, also made an appealing offer. The New York Jets also showed interest for Allen, but it’s unsure if they made an offer.

Hortiz engaged with interested teams, including the Houston Texans — who offered a package that included a 2025 third-round pick and pick swap, according to a team source — and the New York Jets.

At first glance, it looks like the Bears got a steal for Allen, as it only cost a fourth-round pick compared to the third rounder and pick swap offered by the Texans.

Essentially, it sounds like the Chargers elected to have an extra pick in this year’s draft than a future selection, even if Houston’s offer was technically better. This is a deep draft class, so the Chargers are positioning themselves to land an additional impact contributor this year. Plus, it certainly helps getting Allen out of the conference.

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Report: Chargers rejected Keenan Allen’s extension counteroffer before trade

A timeline of the events surrounding Keenan Allen’s talks with the Chargers organization before the trade can be established.

According to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, a timeline of the events surrounding Keenan Allen’s talks with the Chargers organization before the trade can be established.

After the NFL Combine, the Chargers asked Allen to take a pay cut similar to what they asked of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. However, in a new wrinkle, LA offered Allen a two-year extension along with the restructured 2024 contract.

This isn’t necessarily surprising. At his press conference last week, Joe Hortiz mentioned that an extension was one of the options that was discussed with Allen prior to the trade. The specifics of it were unknown at the time though.

Per Rhim, the extension offer AAV was less than Allen’s current base salary of $18.1 million. While not a drastically low offer for receivers aging into their 30s, Allen is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also re-signed star wide receiver Mike Evans to a deal worth $20.5 million per season prior to the opening of free agency. It wouldn’t be surprising if Allen’s camp used that contract as a baseline for a new deal.

Allen’s camp responded with an extension counteroffer that they thought was more indicative of the receiver’s value. This was two days after the deal was offered to the new Bears’ wideout at the NFL Combine. Using Rhim’s exact words, the counteroffer extension from Allen and his team was “summarily rejected.”

We know the rest of what happened following the rejected counteroffer. Allen was traded to the Bears roughly two weeks ago prior to his roster bonus kicking in on the following Sunday.

Jim Harbaugh was a straight shooter in his media availability on Monday, saying that the NFL was a business. He also mentioned Allen doing what was “honorable” for his family. Hortiz indicated that a roster built around a pricey Allen and potential extensions for other members of the former Big Four restructures group would’ve limited how the new front office wanted to build the team.

The Chargers will look towards both the draft and free agency to fill the void left by Allen.

Chargers ready for Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston to take step forward

The Chargers are now looking to Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston to step up in 2024.

The offseason has brought a myriad of roster changes for the Chargers but none is most notable than at wide receiver.

With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams gone, the Chargers are now looking to fourth-year Joshua Palmer and former first-round draft pick Quentin Johnston to step up in 2024.

General manager Joe Hortiz said that the upcoming season is Palmer’s opportunity to thrive as a starter. 

“I’m really excited about Josh,” Hortiz said, per the team’s official website. “I think he is at that point in his career where he is a vet now and he’s worked under two receivers.

“When he’s been given opportunities, he’s been on the field when those two haven’t been and he’s produced for us,” Hortiz added. “I’ve gotten to know him pretty good over the past couple six weeks I’ve been here, so I expect him to step up his game.”

Since he was drafted in 2021, Palmer has 143 catches for 1,703 yards and nine touchdowns.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh believes Johnston will take great strides this year as he continues to develop. 

“We’re excited about Quentin, his opportunity,” Harbaugh said.

Hortiz also added: “Every time you put on the tape, you see the talent and I expect him to make the jump. I know we have the right coaches to help him make the jump. I feel good about the guys that are here.”

As a rookie, Johnston had 38 catches for 431 yards and two touchdowns during the 2023 season.

Despite the optimism towards Palmer and Johnston, the Chargers still need to solidify the positional room, which could be done with a veteran signing in free agency and the draft.

Bears GM Ryan Poles explains why Keenan Allen is perfect for rookie QB

Bears GM Ryan Poles doesn’t think there’s a better receiver than Keenan Allen for a young QB, like Caleb Williams.

The Chicago Bears are preparing to usher in the Caleb Williams era as the 2024 NFL draft draws closer.

Williams is the presumptive first overall pick, and he’s been linked to the Bears since they locked up the top selection (courtesy of the Carolina Panthers). Chicago sealed the deal when they traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

All things considered, Williams might just be coming into the best situation for a No. 1 pick quarterback in NFL history. The Bears have an ascending top-10 defense that was among the league’s best to end the 2023 season, along with some big weapons on offense and an improving offensive line.

One of the biggest new additions for Chicago is wide receiver Keenan Allen, who was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers. General manager Ryan Poles believes Allen can be a young quarterback’s best friend.

“I don’t think there’s a better receiver in the league that can be better for a young quarterback in terms of understanding the NFL, timing, space, reading defenses,” Poles said of Allen. “So I think that’s a great addition.”

Poles has done everything possible this offseason to make this is an ideal situation for any incoming rookie quarterback. The addition of Allen will help open up Shane Waldron’s new offense in an exciting way.

“It balances the field with DJ (Moore) on the other side, Cole (Kmet) and (Gerald) Everett at tight end, (D’Andre) Swift at running back,” Poles said. “We have a lot of really cool things that can get going and allow us to be dynamic and really special.”

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Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh on Keenan Allen trade: ‘It’s the business part of the NFL’

This marked the first time Jim Harbaugh spoke after Keenan Allen was traded.

Jim Harbaugh spoke to the media at the NFL’s annual owners meetings for the first time since Keenan Allen was traded to the Bears.

It’s the business part of the NFL. Everybody does what’s best for them. Joe [Hortiz] talked about it last week. It’s very transparent. It’s the buisness part of it. Everybody does what’s in their best intesrest. And Keenan? Make $23 million a year, play in Chicago. You know? Who’s got it better?

Harbaugh stated that Joe Hortiz and Allen’s agent, Joby Branion, primarily facilitated the deal to send Allen to the Bears. Harbaugh mentioned Allen doing what was right for his family.

With Mike Williams leaving to the Jets on a one-year, $15 million, Harbaugh also mentioned that he did what was in his best interest. With Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack staying for 2024, Harbaugh said he’s “thrilled” to have those two return.

Asked about plans for the wide receiver room, Harbaugh said that he’s “excited” about Quentin Johnston, Josh Palmer, and Derius Davis in the wide receiver room. Like Hortiz said in his press conference last week, Harbaugh was quick to point out free agency as a source for talent in addition to the draft.

The Chargers could end up addressing their receiver room with one of the class’ top talents like Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze. However, Hortiz did note the depth of the wide receiver class back at his combine presser. Free agents like Odell Beckham Jr. and Michael Gallup remain on the market.

Whatever combination of options the Chargers choose, I’d be willing to bet this is far from their final depth chart at the wide receiver position.

Bears GM Ryan Poles sounds off on potential Keenan Allen extension

While there’s no timeline in place for a Keenan Allen extension, Bears GM Ryan Poles said he’d “love to have him long term.”

The Chicago Bears made a splash in trading for wide receiver Keenan Allen during free agency, providing another weapon for projected incoming rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

Chicago sent a 2024 fourth-round selection to the Los Angeles Chargers for Allen, who was asked to take a paycut by his former team, prompting his exit.

Now, Allen comes to the Bears on the final year of his current contract. Considering Chicago shelled out a valuable draft pick for Allen, the expectation is the Bears will look to sign Allen to an extension at some point.

During his press conference at the NFL owners meetings, general manager Ryan Poles sounded off on a potential Allen extension, saying the goal is to have him beyond 2024.

“I try to be intentional with the order that we do extensions, so we’ll review that and kind of see what our order looks like,” Poles said. “But for what he stands for, I would love to have him long term.”

Allen was asked whether he envisions playing in Chicago beyond the 2024 season, and he expects to be a Bear past this season.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Allen told reporters earlier this month. “You know we wouldn’t be here right now, obviously. Yeah, we’ll get there down the line.”

While there’s no timeline in place, the expectation is a deal gets done at some point this year.

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