Throughout the NFL playoffs, Sam Wallace, Mark Drumheller, and Jonathan Fuller will be highlighting the biggest NFL free agents heading into the 2025 offseason. We'll be breaking down the best and worst landing spots as well as projecting where key players will eventually sign.

Today's subject? 2024 Chicago Bears WR Keenan Allen.

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Best Landing Spots For Keenan Allen in 2025 NFL Free Agency

Jonathan Fuller: Allen deserves a real shot at a championship. There are a few teams that can offer that, but I believe the Baltimore Ravens would be the best fit based on their current weapons and what Allen can bring to the table at this point in his career. He would provide Lamar Jackson with another reliable target who can operate both outside and from the slot. 

The Ravens have a number of explosive playmakers in Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Isaiah Likely but could use another chain mover to keep the offense on schedule and give them added depth when injuries strike. 

Allen's efficiency plummeted in 2024, and he posted the worst YPRR of his career (1.36) playing alongside rookie QB Caleb Williams. He is almost certainly past his peak, but dropping him into an offense with a great rushing attack, MVP QB, and explosive weapons would allow Keenan to do what he does best and help extend his career for a couple more seasons. 

He wouldn't project for as many targets as he would in a landing spot like New England, but with improved efficiency a 75/850/8 stat line is easily within reach and would make him a solid fantasy option yet again.

Mark Drumheller: The answer depends on whether or not Allen believes that the Chicago Bears are a cursed franchise. Can you really blame him if he does? It was downright painful watching Matt Eberflus slowly drain every ounce of optimism that was built up over last offseason. 

Now, Chicago and Williams get a reboot with Ben Johnson. And oh baby, there is real good reason that optimism is swirling again in the Windy City. Allen won’t likely become the main beneficiary of Johnson’s offense, but fomo alone would have me giving Chicago one more chance. 

Here’s why I think Allen could be more valuable to the Bears than any other team in 2025: Ben Johnson understands the importance of consistency when developing a young quarterback, and that’s a trait that the 12-year veteran can bring. Let’s not forget that Allen is only one year removed from a 1,243-yard, seven-touchdown season. I am very confident that Johnson can scheme up targets for Allen, especially in high-leverage situations, rebuilding the trust between Williams and potentially his most dependable target. 

Reliability goes a long way for a young quarterback. If you were excited about Allen entering last season, his ceiling is much higher now that Johnson is in town. 

Allen realistically only has a couple more good years left. Why wouldn’t you want to spend them with one of the league's most sought-after offensive minds? 

One more year in Chicago. What could possibly go wrong?

Sam Wallace: I never really got used to seeing Allen NOT wearing a Chargers jersey this past season. There's just something about the powder blue that makes it so iconic.

Regardless, Allen's first season with the Bears was just OK. It was certainly a step down from his previous levels of success with the Chargers, but he still managed a semi-decent line of 70/744/7 on 121 targets.

D.J. Moore (younger) is clearly the No. 1 option, and Rome Odunze (much younger), despite the disappointing season relative to his first-round draft capital, still managed over 100 targets of his own. That leaves Allen (soon-to-be 33-years old) as the clear tertiary option.

So, where does Allen go this offseason?

Teams with significant need at WR that could offer a solid role for Allen include the Patriots and Commanders. He'd be the WR1 for the Patriots and the WR2 for the Commanders. I'm coming around more on the Commanders adding WR help for Jayden Daniels, as Terry McLaurin is the only viable option they have.

Staying in Chicago wouldn't be the worst thing — I expect new head coach Ben Johnson to unlock this offense a bit more. Still, the Bears had three wideouts garner 100-plus targets last season, and Allen's days as a true No. 1 option are likely done.

Worst Landing Spots For Keenan Allen in 2025 NFL Free Agency

Jonathan Fuller: I hate to steal one of Sam's answers, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are a great call for worst landing spot. With Arthur Smith back as offensive coordinator and the team leaning toward bringing back Justin Fields at QB, we are looking at a very run-heavy offense in 2025. Pittsburgh also has an established No. 1 wide receiver, so I'm not sure how much upside there would be for Keenan Allen in this system.

Fields flashed at times in his six starts this year, but he only averaged 184.3 passing yards per game and is known for his big-play ability rather than being able to keep an offense on schedule. I don't think his skill set would fit very well with Keenan's. If Pittsburgh decides to go a different direction at QB, this no longer applies, but with the direction they are currently heading I don't want to see Keenan in Steel City.

Mark Drumheller: This is a tougher question than I anticipated. I don’t like the idea of Allen returning to the Chargers, but there are definitely much worse landing spots. I don’t think his game meshes well with Russell Wilson. So I’d want him to steer clear of any of those potential landing spots, whether it’s the Steelers or not. 

That brings me back to New England. Do you see Allen thriving in a Josh McDaniels offense? I don’t. Maybe I'm the one who is stuck in the past, but I’m expecting run-heavy sets with multiple tight ends. The Patriots need to pair QB Drake Maye with a more explosive playmaker that can threaten defenses vertically. That’s not what Allen brings to the table at this stage of his career. 

Financially, the Patriots or any team with a bag could make sense. As far as fantasy fit, I’d hate to see Allen leave the Bears for New England. 

Sam Wallace: The Raiders are a bad landing spot, and the Giants and Steelers both have an established No. 1 option and no clear-cut No. 2. The uncertainty at QB and the overall lack of passing production through the air in any of those spots would severely limit Allen's upside.

Allen has thrived on being a volume-driven, chain-moving machine throughout his career. I don't anticipate him ever seeing the same volume as he did during his time with the Chargers, and I don't see promising volume in either New York or Pittsburgh.

Even so, at this stage in Allen's career, we'll have to see if he wants to try and chase a ring or secure one last sizable contract. It would be impossible to fault him either way.

Where Will Keenan Allen Play in 2025?

Jonathan Fuller: I don't have a strong read on this, but I'm starting to think the free agency market for Keenan won't be all that strong — which suggests he will probably be back in Chicago for another season. The Bears have a new coaching staff led by Ben Johnson, so it makes some sense to try to keep continuity among the pass catchers available to Caleb Williams, especially if they don't have to pay top dollar to keep the veteran wideout. Allen, D.J. Moore, and Rome Odunze is still a good trio to work with and allows the team to spend its draft capital at other positions.

The Bears have plenty of cap space over the next two seasons, so a short-term deal for Keenan can be a valuable bridge as Johnson and Co. work to shape the roster and evaluate their young talent in 2025.

Mark Drumheller: I believe the Bears find a way to bring Allen back into the fold. Allen expressed interest in coming back prior to the Ben Johnson hire, so I’m sure the Bears' new direction will only make the negotiations easier. Allen brings a lot to the table in terms of leadership and is an excellent mentor to the Bears’ young receivers as well. I see it as a great fit for both sides, so I’m betting he stays in Chicago. 

Sam Wallace: As mentioned above, I've been coming around on the idea that the Washington Commanders add some WR help this offseason. As the team looks to run it back with Daniels & McLaurin, a savvy, reliable veteran like Allen could help stabilize the offense and provide another outlet for Daniels in big moments.

It's so hard not to root for the Commanders considering everything they've gone through as a franchise, and Allen has always been a likable, respected player throughout his career. This type of move makes too much sense for both sides.

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