Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Logan Farlow

2024 NFL free agency: Texans offered 3rd-round pick for WR Keenan Allen

Newly-acquired Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen was almost traded to the Houston Texans.

Allen told reporters in his introductory press conference with the Bears that the New York Jets and Texans were involved in trade discussions before the Los Angeles Chargers ultimately sent the six-time Pro Bowler to Chicago for a fourth-round pick,

Houston offered Los Angeles a 2025 third-round pick as well as a pick swap for Allen and was willing to take on his $18.1 million base salary and $5 million roster bonus to facilitate the trade, according to KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson. The Texans then planned to sign Allen to an extension.

The Chargers, though, took the Bears’ No. 110 pick for Allen instead, which also got the veteran pass-catcher out of the AFC.

A similar situation unfolded with the trade for running back Joe Mixon. Houston sent a seventh-round to the Cincinnati Bengals for Mixon before the team gave the running back a three-year, $27 million extension.

Allen, 31, played 11 seasons with the Chargers and totaled 10,530 receiving yards and six 1,000-yard seasons. He caught more than 100 passes in four of the past five seasons, including in 2023 despite only playing in 13 games.

Why would the Texans trade for Allen? Houston is looking for a specific pass-catching weapon for quarterback C.J. Stroud, according to Wilson, who added that the team is not interested in others such as Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs and 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel because of salary cap restrictions.

Allen played over 50 percent of his snaps in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. With starters Nico Collins and Tank Dell on the outside, Houston could have considered adding Allen as an inside receiver to bolster its passing attack.

Houston re-signed Noah Brown and has Robert Woods, John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson. The Texans have two picks in the second round after trading their first-round pick (No. 23) to Minnesota on Friday — another avenue for adding pass-catchers ahead of the 2024 season.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.