Keenan Allen's reported weight gain after Chargers trade has Bears fans worried

A decade-plus of etching himself as one of the greatest wide receivers in LA Chargers history was not enough to save Keenan Allen from the business side of the NFL this past offseason. After 11 years with the team, the new front office in Los Angeles traded Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick.

Normally, a trade to the Bears would seem like punishment for a veteran wide receiver but that is not the case for Allen. The star wideout is joining an exciting young Bears team that includes first-overall pick Caleb Williams, fellow star receiver D.J. Moore and exciting first-round pick Rome Odunze.

With Moore being five years younger than Allen and Odunze being the future, the former Chargers' wideout went from a situation where he was Justin Herbert's main target to being someone who is simply part of something bigger. This reduction in pressure may have made Allen a bit more comfortable, which in turn, may have resulted in some changes in his body.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer mentioned off-hand that Allen checked in at 230 pounds during Bears training camp and this intel has started to take off on social media. With Allen already at the dreaded NFL age of 32, an increase in body weight is not something fans want to see.

Bears fans are worried about Keenan Allen's weight gain after leaving Chargers

For those who are curious, Allen weighed in at 211 pounds with the Chargers last season, meaning that he gained around 20 pounds if he is truly 230 pounds at Bears training camp.

Allen already is not the most athletic receiver in the league as he relies on his shiftiness and elite route-running to get open in all three levels of the field. Reducing his athleticism more with a 20-pound weight gain is not going to bode well for the Bears in 2024.

That being said, Allen has still looked good in camp and using pure weight with no context is a bit unfair to the veteran receiver. Not every pound is the same and Allen could have put on more muscle. Panicking over a reported number means nothing without the context.

Of course, if Allen does take a step back this season then fans are going to point at this moment as the beginning of the end, even if his weight has nothing to do with his play. The optics of an older receiver gaining weight later in his career are harder to explain if the numbers also take a dip.

But knowing Allen, he will continue to produce at a high level while everyone is doubting him, just like he did in 2023 with the Chargers.