Charles Langston:Bears land Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen in shocking trade with Chargers

The Charles LangstonLos Angeles Chargers are going to have a new wide receiving corps this season.

A day after the Chargers released wide receiver Mike Williams, the team decided to ship star wideout Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a fourth-round pick, the teams announced Thursday night. The Bears said the trade would be official once Allen passes a physical.

“What Keenan Allen has meant to the Chargers for more than a decade cannot adequately be expressed through mere words,” Chargers president of football operations John Spanos said in a statement. “Keenan’s impact lives in the hearts of our fans, in the communities which he has served and amongst the countless teammates who have formed a brotherhood with him. There will only be one Keenan Allen, and we cannot thank him enough for the contributions he has made to our organization both on and off the field.”

ESPN reported that Allen was asked to take a pay cut from the Chargers. After Allen declined the pay cut, the Chargers decided to trade the receiver to Chicago. The 31-year-old veteran is entering the final year of his contract.

Allen had a Chargers franchise single-season high 108 receptions last season and has been star quarterback Justin Herbert’s favorite target ever since Herbert entered the league out of Oregon in the 2020 NFL draft.

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The Chargers own the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 draft and now could target one of the top wide receiver prospects such as Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze.

The Bears, meanwhile, get a standout six-time Pro Bowl receiver who has 904 receptions, 10,530 receiving yards and 59 touchdowns in his career. Allen's surpassed 100 catches in a single season five times and is fourth among active players in receptions.

"We're extremely excited to add Keenan to our team," Bears general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement. "His body of work speaks for itself and we look forward to him elevating our offense."

Allen joins a Chicago receiving corps that also includes DJ Moore. The Bears own the No. 1 overall pick and are widely expected to draft USC QB Caleb Williams.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.