Keenan Allen is on the brink of playing through the final year of the contract he signed with the Chargers, with the Bears.
The 11-year veteran wide receiver's team reportedly approached the Bears about a contract extension recently. But no progress has been made on that front, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano.
"Allen recently changed agents, and with one year and $18.1 million left on his contract, he has approached the team about an extension. But so far, they haven't made progress on that front," Graziano reported last Saturday.
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Allen mentioned his interest in receiving a long-term extension from the Bears on Tuesday. He cited the locker room morale, friends he's made on the team, the city of Chicago and the team's prospects for success this season as reasons for wanting to remain a Chicago Bear.
But with nothing on the horizon, Allen appears more focused on playing in 2024.
"Nah," Allen said Tuesday when asked if he's actively seeking a contract extension. "I'm just trying to bring my best game to the team and just do what I can."
The Bears brought in Allen, 32, during March this past offseason. They traded a fourth-round pick to the Chargers in exchange for his services. Allen and the Chargers engaged in contract disputes amid the team's request he restructure his contract to help the team's salary cap.
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That brought plenty of excitement to Chicago. Now, the Bears have arguably the league's most formidable pass-catching trio in Allen, DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze. They also have Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett as dependable, veteran tight ends to give rookie quarterback Caleb Williams more options.
Still, uncertainty around Allen's future with the Bears remains. But he's content with playing for a new deal.
"I have no problem doing that. Bet on myself any day of the week."
When Moore signed the Chicago Bears' largest contract in franchise history, he immediately poked his head into Allen's contract situation, hoping to help him and the Bears come to terms.
"I was like, man, listen. What’s your number? Let’s get it done," Moore said Wednesday about Allen. "And I mean, I’m going to leave his number out of it. But I think we can get it done."
It's peculiar for Moore, who's been teammates with Allen for only a few months, to publicly express his interest in helping the Bears find a way to keep him. It's a testament to the culture the Bears have built and the existing strength of new relationships formed from the slew of newcomers on the team.
The Bears' move to extend Moore shows their belief in him as a vital piece of their puzzle. Moore has two more seasons left on the contract the Bears inherited from the Panthers. Yet, they elected to grant him the franchise's top dollar well before they needed to.
As for Allen, it's apparent the Bears prefer to watch him play in their uniform this season before granting him an extension. But with Moore's contract in the books, Allen has only shown excitement for his teammate's new deal, while keeping an open mind to his nuanced situation.
"Obviously, he just secured it. That's great," Allen said of Moore's contract. "Any time a receiver, especially a guy in our room, somebody that we're gonna see every day ... It just brings the morale and the excitement up every day. (I'm) happy for him.
"We'll just see what happens."