Joby Branion, the agent representing Keenan Allen, the newly acquired wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, offered a compelling response to recent comments made by Los Angeles Chargers GM Joe Hortiz regarding last week’s significant trade.
In an unexpected move, the Chargers traded the six-time Pro Bowler and beloved fan favorite to the Bears for the relatively modest price of a fourth-round draft pick. Addressing reporters on Thursday, Hortiz remarked that the Chargers had presented Allen with “multiple different options and just none of them worked out,” as reported by Eric Smith of Chargers.com.
In reaction to a tweet from The Athletic’s Daniel Popper concerning Hortiz’s remarks, Branion disputed the notion that his client had received numerous offers. Branion asserted that the Chargers had only put forth one offer to Allen, further indicating that the team had sought a reduction in Allen’s salary:
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The decision to trade Keenan Allen marked one of the initial significant moves under the Hortiz-Jim Harbaugh leadership.
In addition to parting ways with Allen, a two-time 1,000-yard receiver in a cap-saving maneuver, the team also released Mike Williams, a former 2017 first-round pick, who subsequently joined the New York Jets.
With an illustrious career that includes 904 receptions for 10,530 yards and seven touchdowns, the soon-to-be 32-year-old Allen is poised to make a significant impact for the Bears. His remarkable 108 receptions in his final season with the Chargers also represented a career high.
Allen’s addition to the Bears’ offense, alongside superstar wide receiver D.J. Moore, offers promising prospects. The Bears, who more than doubled their win total from three in 2022 to seven in 2023 largely due to Moore’s arrival, now possess a formidable offensive lineup.
With Caleb Williams, expected to be the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, at the helm, the Bears boast two perennial 1,000-yard receivers. Allen, who has achieved the 1,000-yard milestone in six of his 11 NFL seasons, would likely have more such seasons under his belt if not for injuries.
The emergence of the new trio comprising Allen, Moore, and Williams instills a sense of long-term optimism among Bears fans after enduring a frustrating three-year stretch in the Windy City.
