The Chicago Bears now have one of the NFL’s best wide receiver tandems with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, who were both acquired via trade over the past two offseasons.
Receiver was one of the team’s biggest remaining needs this offseason, and general manager Ryan Poles addressed it in a huge way.
So how does the Allen trade impact Chicago’s plans in the 2024 NFL draft?
Well, it shouldn’t necessarily change their plans so much as it serves as insurance. The dropoff after Moore and Allen on the depth chart is large. If one of the “big three” — Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington’s Rome Odunze and LSU’s Malik Nabers — were to fall to the Bears at No. 9, they should absolutely draft him.
Harrison is a lock to go in the top five. Now, with the loss of Allen, the Chargers should be in the market for a receiver at No. 5. The third one could fall to pick No. 9, but it’s less likely.
But this is a loaded receiver class where there will be other top options on Day 2. Chicago should not be out on any of them just because they traded for Allen. He’s 31 years old and not a long-term answer.
With that said, getting a WR2 is no longer the biggest need on the offense either. If there is a player at a different position that they like more than the top available receiver, they should do that at ninth overall. It is a matter of where they are in the draft and who is on the board.
Poles is a smart guy. He isn’t going to make poor draft choices because of the “win now” trades that he’s made. At this point, it is hard to question any plan that he may have.
