Goodbye Keenan Allen

[Budsman]

KA had his best season in 2023 because Herbert was preoccupied with him. His stats in Chicago will be half of what he had last year. KA was part of a Charger’s bigone era that’s run its course. He wouldn’t have those numbers last season if we had a better #2 WR. His departure doesn’t bother me one damn bit.

That’s fair but you can’t have one side of the coin and not look at the other side of that coin. Allen is good enough to be called upon to perform when he’s the only guy. Many WRs can’t do that, See Palmer and Williams on the chargers for good examples.

Allen is good enough, when he’s the only focus by the defense, to still get 100+ catches and 1000+ yards. Sure he was the focus (of the offense AND defense) but as the focus he performed and there are very few WRs who can do that. Who steps up for JH now? A rookie? Palmer? QJ!?!?

[Budsman]

I understand what Calvin Ridley got from the Titans -- but if you look at two other veteran WRs - Mike Evans with Tampa and Lockett from Seattle. Evans got 44/2 with incentives (like winning two super bowls) that could push it over 50 and Lockett got 34/2. Now, I think Allen is obviously closer to Evans than Lockett. So, I would have put Allen in that 39-41 range over two years. So, yes, a pay cut from his salary of $23m

And Allen did what he felt was best -- not going to bash him

Agree the Chargers had to do what they felt was best for the team longer term.

You make good points and his AAV is closer to 20-25 mil than 30 but he makes up for it by being very in tune with Herbert.

the last part in bold I just wonder about. Sure they got a 4th this year that’s a high 4th from a draft pick value it’s the best they could have gotten but from an actual value Allen on this team this year to help this team get to the playoffs is more valuable than. High 4th.

Retooling is fine but blowing up this offense is scary when we’re paying 50+ mil and wasting time for Big Herbs to wait on a rebuild.

[Budsman]

So you wanted the team to kick more cap to the future to have Keenan Allen for one more year. Plus Allen viewed himself at $23 - the Chargers obviously left. There was always a price point they would keep each of the players. Bosa and Mack fit the price points - Allen didn't.

The salary cap is not fake. Its real. It’s charjust more pliable in the NFL as compared to the NBA.

The Chargers are going to have 100+ million next year. Yes they could kick a little of that to next year. It’s done all the time. If the cap is real, why do teams never go over it? Because it’s easy to manipulate. Sure it’s real in the sense that it allows the owners to keep more of the pie than in other sports (mlb) but if teams can and do manipulate the cap to never go over it’s just an imaginary line.

[Budsman]

they approached Keenan with several options including a simple restructure that wouldn't have cost him a cent,

Please provide your source for this and hopefully it’s not some unverified rumor from a guy on X or something. I can find any bull I want on there, it has to be something verified by multiple sources to not just be someone’s drug addled social media rambling.

I think you’re wrong, even in Allen’s press conference he said he didn’t want a pay cut. I mean just last season Allen restructured for the team so obviously he isn’t against restructuring for the team, ffs.

Provide a source that’s reliable or it’s just your opinion.

[Budsman]

Keenan said there was no emotion in leaving the team and it was a business decision and yet certain fans are falling apart over it?

Why is it OK for Keenan to have no emotion in leaving the Chargers and calls it a business decision, but it's not OK for the Chargers to trade Keenan over a business decision?

Allen was great when he was here and loved, however I was fine with this move about 30 seconds after it happened!

What was he supposed to say in his bears press conference? Come on you’re better than that. He didn’t sound excited and didn’t commit to staying with the bears.

He mentioned he found out when he was talking with his agent about his chargers contract so clearly he was engaging with the FO through his agent. He didn’t stone wall them or anything.

Allen is a consummate professional on and off the field. He is t going to air his dirty laundry in his first bears press conference or really this season. He might tell more when he retires but right now he has to play with players in Chicago and can’t come out and say he’s super sad and doesn’t want to leave LA…

[Budsman]

Didn’t mean to offend, sorry. but literally it was posted many times a week ago. Many times in response to posts about both Mack and Allen possible comp pick awards. I know this as I learned it here a week ago myself. I didnt know it before that either.

[Lefty2SLO]

they approached Keenan with several options including a simple restructure that wouldn't have cost him a cent, it was just his roster bonus and salary up front and it would've added voidable years and helped the team get under the cap, the team might not have cut MWs if he had done it and it wouldn't have cost KA any money...the restructures between him and Mack would've meant that the team could continue to work with MWs and Joey either on trades or restructures...instead MWs, Joey, and KA plus their agents colluded to put the team in a position to release them so that they could capitalize on what THEY wanted, increased cap dollars played a part, and in Joey's case he just wants to be free to play with this brother in SF...

The irony of all this shit is that the guy who should have the least amount of loyalty to the club behaved or acted in a manner that displays more caring and goodwill towards the Chargers, Kahlil fucking Mack Broke the stalemate and did a restructure which even included a 5 million $ pay cut...the guy that brought Mack here was fired, he had the best season of his career, and he was the one with all the trade buzz and yet Mack was the one that did the most to help the Chargers, LOL

so Yeah, I'm grateful for all the memories that Keenan gave us over the years, AND I'm also not mad at him to looking out for himself and his friend Mike Williams...

my issue is with folks making it sound like the team did him wrong...Keenan was given every opportunity to stick around, he was also given multiple different opportunities to help the Chargers, and he was also given the opportunity to put his money where his mouth is in regards to retiring as a Charger by taking a paycut on a longer term deal that would've kept him in bolts for the next 3 seasons...

Keenan CHOSE to leave, he didn't want to play in a system where his role would've been reduced, the team gave him choice and he went elsewhere while all along sounding off about how he wanted to retire a Charger, LOL...at some point actions speak louder than words...

AGREED . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Bolt4Knob]

they approached Keenan with several options including a simple restructure that wouldn't have cost him a cent, it was just his roster bonus and salary up front and it would've added voidable years and helped the team get under the cap, the team might not have cut MWs if he had done it and it wouldn't have cost KA any money...the restructures between him and Mack would've meant that the team could continue to work with MWs and Joey either on trades or restructures...instead MWs, Joey, and KA plus their agents colluded to put the team in a position to release them so that they could capitalize on what THEY wanted, increased cap dollars played a part, and in Joey's case he just wants to be free to play with this brother in SF...

The irony of all this shit is that the guy who should have the least amount of loyalty to the club behaved or acted in a manner that displays more caring and goodwill towards the Chargers, Kahlil fucking Mack Broke the stalemate and did a restructure which even included a 5 million $ pay cut...the guy that brought Mack here was fired, he had the best season of his career, and he was the one with all the trade buzz and yet Mack was the one that did the most to help the Chargers, LOL

so Yeah, I'm grateful for all the memories that Keenan gave us over the years, AND I'm also not mad at him to looking out for himself and his friend Mike Williams...

my issue is with folks making it sound like the team did him wrong...Keenan was given every opportunity to stick around, he was also given multiple different opportunities to help the Chargers, and he was also given the opportunity to put his money where his mouth is in regards to retiring as a Charger by taking a paycut on a longer term deal that would've kept him in bolts for the next 3 seasons...

Keenan CHOSE to leave, he didn't want to play in a system where his role would've been reduced, the team gave him choice and he went elsewhere while all along sounding off about how he wanted to retire a Charger, LOL...at some point actions speak louder than words...

You are wrong - this was not about a contract restructure like they did in 2023. They approached Keenan Allen about taking a PAY CUT,. Not a restructure - but a true Pay Cut. Bosa took a $7m pay cut - if not, he would have probably been released or traded. Mack took a 4.25m pay cut - again if not, he is probably not back

My guess, if the Chargers truly offered Keenan Allen a contract that would have made him whole, the $23m for this year - he would have taken it

If they would have offered him a contract that extended his contract and guaranteed a certain amount of money over two-three years, he might have taken it

He wasn't taking a pay cut. The last part is true - he chose to leave to a situation that would have given him his $23m this year

Lastly, I don't think any decision of any player affected any other player. I think there were four individual decisions.

[Caslon]

They wanted KA gone. Asking that he take a pay cut serves that purpose.

[Go Chargers go]

What I don’t understand is Bosa is the most expensive player per game for last two years and he only took a $7 mil discount.
I was just hopeful Herbert and Allen could win a SB.

chargers still have to get FA to fill open positions because Draft will not fill that.

[BayAreaBoltz]

I think it was T. J. Houshmandzadeh who was talking about this and said the biggest negative for this Chargers move is the lack of a veteran WR in the room. He said it's not really the coaches who teach the young guys, but the respected veterans who demonstrate, instruct really influence the younger receivers. And that is definitely something that KA brought to our young Charger receivers. Mike too.

[Budsman]

They wanted KA gone. Asking that he take a pay cut serves that purpose.