Keenan Allen spent 5 weeks lurking in the shadows – now he’s ready to pounce

LAKE FOREST – Keenan Allen didn’t need to prove anything to himself. But he did feel a need to show the football world that his career isn’t fading away quite yet.

When the Bears last took the field two weeks ago in London, Allen caught a pair of touchdown passes and totaled 41 yards on five receptions in an easy win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the first time Allen found the end zone as a member of the Bears, and it was easily his first big game since coming to Chicago in a March trade with the Los Angeles Chargers.

“For about five games there it was like, ‘When’s this guy going to come along and play, too?’” Allen said this week at Halas Hall.

It was huge news when the Bears traded for Allen, sending a fourth-round draft pick to the Chargers in return. Allen is a six-time Pro Bowl receiver who was coming off one of his best seasons yet. In his 11th NFL season last year, Allen had 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games before a heel injury ended his season prematurely. If he had stayed healthy, he likely would have surpassed all of his career highs.

Coming to Chicago in that trade was a major life change for Allen, who spent his entire 11-year career in Southern California up to that point. For the first time, he had to adjust to a new team. With talent all across the passing attack, it hasn’t been easy for Allen to see touches.

DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, Rome Odunze and D’Andre Swift have more receiving yards than Allen this season. It didn’t help that Allen missed two games because of his nagging heel injury.

But the Week 6 win over Jacksonville felt like a coming out party for Allen. Or maybe a reminder to NFL fans that he’s still here and he’s still dangerous at 32 years old in Year 12.

“It was big,” Allen said. “Just to show that I’m still me. I can still make these plays. I’m on a different team, but I can still be the guy that I was.”

It was big. Just to show that I’m still me. I can still make these plays. I’m on a different team but I can still be the guy that I was.”

—  Keenan Allen, Bears wide receiver

Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron commended rookie quarterback Caleb Williams for spreading the ball out over the first six games. The Bears have had four different players lead the team in receiving yards at least once through the first six games: Moore, Kmet, Odunze and Swift.

Allen is waiting for his time. But he found the end zone twice in London, and that might even be more meaningful. The Bears felt it was just a matter of time before Allen had a big game.

“What I saw from Keenan is showing up to work every single day ready to ask questions, ready to talk through situations, ready to look how he can blend in with everyone else that’s on the offense,” Waldron said. “I think when the opportunities presented themselves two weeks ago, he’s ready to make his plays, which he always is.”

As long as everyone stays healthy, Williams will continue to have multiple dangerous weapons to throw the football too. Allen said he doesn’t feel any pain in his foot anymore. If it stays that way, this multipronged passing attack will continue to be unpredictable. A defense might work hard to take away Moore, but it can’t double-team everybody.

Allen is a dangerous weapon as a slot receiver, and he reminded everyone last week how dangerous he can be in the red zone.

“We know Keenan’s a guy that is a unique route runner,” Waldron said. “His ability to get separation, his ability to get open, aggressive hands, the way he can win at the top of his routes is something that we’re always going to – from a schematic standpoint – try to get him involved as much as we can.”