HOUSTON – The Texans were involved in trade discussions involving newly-acquired Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen before the trade that sent him to Chicago from the Los Chargers, Allen told Chicago reporters.
The Bears made the top trade offer, per sources. The Texans offered a 2025 third-round selection with a pick swap back involved, per league sources. The Texans were also willing to take on Allen’s contract, which includes an $18.1 million base salary and a $5 million roster bonus that Chicago is paying, and then work on an extension
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Allen, 31, was acquired by Chicago via a fourth-round selection, 110th overall.
“I only had like two teams,” Allen said during a press conference in Chicago. “That had interest, Jets and Houston.”
The Texans have been looking for something highly specific as a potential upgrade for their receiving corps to provide a boost to a passing game led by quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Although linked to several wide receivers in trade discussions, sources emphasized those are inaccurate and players are unavailable. That includes San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs for various reasons, including salary cap issues that would block a potential trade being financially feasible.
Allen is due $18.1 million this season in the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract.
The Texans intend to hold trade discussions regarding an extension goal with wide receiver Nico Collins this offseason. They re-signed wide receiver Noah Brown to a one-year, $5 million contract and have Tank Dell returning from a broken fibula and also have Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III on the roster. And they re-signed tight end Dalton Schultz to a three-year, $36 million contract. The Texans ranked seventh in passing offense last season and Stroud was ranked first in yards per game with 273.9 yards per game and had the best touchdown-to-interception ration with 23 touchdown and just five interception as offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik built a dynamic passing game.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.