The Chicago Bears could still get a strong return on investment for six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen despite his early-season injury struggles, but the 32-year-old’s availability issues might force the Bears to change their plans for the future — as in, signing a different veteran in 2025 instead of extending Allen.
Allen caught more than 900 passes for 10,530 yards over his previous 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, but his tenure with the Bears is off to a rocky start in 2024. After catching four of his 11 targets for 29 yards in Week 1’s win, Allen has missed two straight games with a heel injury that has plagued him since the end of training camp.
While Allen has plenty of time to still rebound in 2024, the Bears must start thinking about their future with Allen in the final year of his current contract. They could hold out hope that Allen returns and plays well enough to justify an extension for 2025 or, perhaps, start looking at alternative options that could be available in free agency.
Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department believes the latter is the more likely outcome for the Bears and identified Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Chris Godwin — who is in the final year of his $60 million deal — as Allen’s top potential replacement.
“Luckily, Ryan Poles is currently projected to begin the offseason with about $73 million of cap space available, per Over The Cap, so Poles has enough funds to go after a big fish,” BR wrote on September 23. “Godwin will be one of the best wide receivers on the open market as he’s logged four 1,000-yard seasons in the last five years and is off to a good start in 2024 with 253 yards in three games.
Chris Godwin Among NFL’s Best to Begin 2024 Season
Godwin is a fascinating option for the Bears if they decide to go shopping for another veteran wide receiver in 2025 free agency, especially with how his 2024 has started.
Godwin has recorded the third-most receptions (21) in the NFL season along with the seventh-most receiving yards (253) through the first three weeks of the 2024 season — not counting any changes that could come from Week 3’s two Monday night matchups. The 28-year-old has also hauled in a touchdown reception in each of the Buccaneers’ games, hanging an impressive 117-yard performance on the Detroit Lions in Week 2.
If Godwin sustains his success for the remainder of the season, the Buccaneers would likely prefer to shut down the possibility of him hitting free agency and to sign him to a long-term contract extension before the 2025 offseason. Tampa Bay, however, projects to have roughly $28 million in cap space in 2025 — per OTC — and just inked veteran Mike Evans to a two-year extension that ties him to the team through next season.
The Buccaneers could cut Evans in the 2025 offseason with a post-June 1 designation and save $12 million in salary-cap space, which would make retaining Godwin easier. If the Buccaneers decide keeping Godwin is unachievable, though, the Bears could swoop in and make Godwin a compelling contract offer to replace Allen in their 2025 offense.
Godwin lacks the pure dominance that Allen has exhibited throughout his career, but he tallied more than 500 catches in his first seven seasons with the Buccaneers while mostly playing second fiddle to Evans. He is also on track to have his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2024 — and his fifth 1,000-yard season in the last six years.
Rome Odunze’s Rise Could Define 2025 WR Needs
The Bears could have a wide receiver need in 2025 if they decide to let Allen walk or are unwilling to pay the price he is seeking on his next contract. Whether they will want to sink significant money into the receiver position, though, could depend on how first-round rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze finishes out his first season in Chicago.
Odunze started slow with just three catches on nine targets over his first two games. He also had to overcome a sprained knee that he suffered in the fourth quarter of Chicago’s season opener against Tennessee, which limited him in the next two weeks of practice. The No. 9 overall pick finally broke out in Week 3’s loss, though, catching six passes for 112 yards and scoring his first touchdown on a 1-yard pass from rookie Caleb Williams.
If Odunze continues his rise, the Bears may not feel it is imperative to make a sizeable investment in the receiver position in 2025 whether that is extending Allen or signing a big-fish veteran — such as Godwin — in free agency to replace him. They have Odunze under contract for the next four seasons counting his fifth-year option and just signed No. 1 receiver D.J. Moore to a deal in August that ties him to the team through 2029.
The Bears must also figure out how to best spend their cap space with other positional needs expected in 2025. Left guard Teven Jenkins will become a free agent in March, and if the Bears do not extend him, they could be looking for three new starters for the interior of their offensive line next offseason — especially if right guard Nate Davis and center Coleman Shelton continue to disappoint for the remainder of the 2024 season.
