NFL executive says Chicago Bears added a Travis Kelce-like player during free agency

There is all kinds of optimism heading into the Chicago Bears' 2024 season, even if Justin Fields is no longer in the picture.

That's because of a) the defensive progress we saw at the end of the year that helped the team win five of its final eight games and b) the pieces that have been added on the offensive side of the ball, including new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

Another one of the pieces is four-time Pro Bowl receiver, Keenan Allen. He's a bit older in age, but he will make a perfect complement to No. 1 option, D.J. Moore. Those two, along with tight end Cole Kmet and talented receiving running backs, are going to give presumably, Caleb Williams, all kinds of targets to throw to.

But Allen is easily the most impactful addition of the offseason because of the security blanket he'll provide the Bears' next quarterback. In fact, one anonymous executive even likened his impact to that of Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce.

“For all the things he might not be in terms of speed and stretching the field, Keenan Allen is a super-smart player, very savvy. He will be productive getting the ball. He helps become your Travis Kelce in the offense as a security blanket who makes plays. DJ Moore is a good player. They signed a tight end (Gerald Everett) who is a good scheme fit and complement for (Cole) Kmet. They do have some pieces in place.” - NFL executive, The Athletic

Allen is still one of the league's better receivers, even if he's entering his age-32 season. This is evidenced by the fact he caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, despite missing four games. In all, he has the fifth-most receiving yards (10,530), the second-most receptions (904), the eighth-most receiving touchdowns (59), the seventh-most yards per game (75.8), and the third-most first down receptions among 32 qualifying wideouts with at least 743 targets since 2013 .

He has always been known as a chain-mover and a QB-friendly receiver because of his diverse skill set, his understanding of NFL defenses, and his ability to separate thanks to good route-running.

Allen especially takes pride in his ability to make big plays on third down, where the Bears ranked 12th with a 41.2% conversion rate in 2023. Per Sports Info Solutions, Allen's 2.3 yards per route run on third down ranked 10th among 31 wideouts with at least 31 third down targets, last year. His 77.8% first down rate was 15th-best out of the qualifying players, his 24.7 yards per game on third down was eighth-best, and his 0.51 EPA/tgt was also eighth-best.

"Everything," Allen said when asked what it means to be a reliable third down target during his introductory press conference. "Obviously, as a receiver, you want the ball as much as you can get it. So the more times I can get open, the more chances I get."

All of that will be great for a rookie QB and it will only help him progress and develop in an effective and efficient manner. Allen has played with a rookie QB too, recently, in Justin Herbert, so he'll know exactly how to handle things.

"Justin [Herbert] wasn't for certain when he first got there," said Allen. "We had to battle with him and Tyrod [Taylor] after Philip [Rivers] left. And Tyrod was the guy going into the season and Herbert happened to step up and you know, be as great as he is...

"... "I know the game. I know the ins and outs. I know the zones. I know how to beat man [coverage]. I know how to play the game. So, I just think I'm friendly for the quarterback because I'll be in the right spots. I know how to communicate with him and my body language is solid too."