Chargers broke Derwin James' heart by trading Keenan Allen

Late on Thursday night, the LA Chargers made a move that nobody saw coming. After releasing Mike Williams and restructuring Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa to become cap-compliant, the Chargers still opted to trade Keenan Allen.

Los Angeles shipped the fan favorite to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick. Parting ways with Allen always seemed like a far-fetched possibility leading into the offseason; but once Wednesday passed with the team becoming cap-compliant, it seemed impossible that the star receiver would actually be traded.

This trade felt like a dagger straight into the fanbase's heart as they watched the most beloved player on the roster get traded while the Chargers decided to keep three starting-caliber edge rushers on the roster. Fans were not the only ones devastated by the move, as star safety Derwin James took to social media to express his feelings on the matter.

Derwin James' heart is broken just like every Chargers fan

We all know that the NFL is a business and that fan favorites are not going to stay on the team forever. After all, Chargers fans watched LaDainian Tomlinson suit up in a New York Jets uniform and Philip Rivers suit up in an Indianapolis Colts uniform.

But this move is different. Both of those players left on their own accord while Allen was unexpectedly traded. Allen would have surpassed Antonio Gates' franchise record for receptions and receiving yards if he stayed healthy in 2024 and would have cemented himself as the best wide receiver in franchise history.

The logistics of the move also do not make a lot of sense. With the trade, the Chargers have the worst wide receiver room in the entire sport. Sure, the team is likely going to add Malik Nabers in the draft, but the rookie alone is not going to be enough to carry this position group.

Typically, the last thing a team wants to do is make the quarterback's life harder but alas, the Chargers opted to trade Herbert's most-trusted option.

We all knew that the Chargers were going to have to make some tough decisions this offseason and there was some level of heartbreak expected. It still made way more sense for the team to cut either Khalil Mack or Joey Bosa and create cap space that way than it was to get rid of Allen (especially after getting rid of Mike Williams).

At least in that situation, the Chargers had a player who was ready to step up and be an impact starter in Tuli Tuipulotu. Instead, the Chargers are essentially banking on Nabers coming into the NFL ready to be a true WR1 with the hope that Quentin Johnston can develop into a suitable WR2.

Regardless of what happens, the trade was unexpected and was a real heartbreaker for the fanbase and players alike.