The clock is ticking for the Chicago Bears to re-sign six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen for the 2025 NFL season.
With free agency just two weeks away, the Bears must decide whether to sign a new deal with Allen - whom they acquired in a 2024 offseason trade - or let the 32-year-old wideout enter the open market in search of a new team.
If they choose the latter, though, there's nothing that says they cannot add another decorated veteran wide receiver for quarterback Caleb Williams.
CBS Sports' Garrett Podell recently examined the projected wide receiver market for when free agency opens on March 12 and identified the best team fits for several of the top talents available based on current roster needs.
While his prediction snubbed the Bears from contention to re-sign Allen, he did link them to another playmaker: former $100 million wide receiver Amari Cooper.
Cooper is coming off a down season that he split between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, finishing with just 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns. Prior to 2024, though, the five-time Pro Bowler surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in seven of his nine seasons, including in both 2022 and 2023.
"A reunion with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and the [Dallas Cowboys] could work as well as teams like the Washington Commanders, who have Terry McLaurin, and the Chicago Bears, who have DJ Moore," Podell wrote.
Cooper is similar to Allen in the sense that both are in their 30s and are past the Pro Bowl primes of their respective careers, but Bears head coach Ben Johnson might ask the front office to take a flier on him to supercharge his new offense.
The Bears do not need to invest top-of-market money into the position with Moore and first-round pick Rome Odunze on the roster, but they do need more depth with Allen set to depart and Tyler Scott currently penciled in as WR3.
Cooper's struggles in 2024 could also drive down his price into the bargain range; though, Spotrac projects his annual salary will still exceed $14 million.
The Bears took a bigger swing last offseason when they traded a fourth-round pick to acquire Allen and his $23.1 million cap hit. Don't be surprised if their new offensive head coach wants them to try it again for 2025.
