The Los Angeles Chargers want to make clear that they tried very hard to find a way to keep Keenan Allen on the roster.
Chargers GM Joe Hortiz said Thursday that the team explored “multiple options” with Allen in an attempt to keep the wide receiver. That included talks about a potential contract extension. Ultimately, however, Allen and the Chargers failed to find any sort of agreement, which led to him being traded to the Chicago Bears.
The Chargers had to make several moves to open up salary cap space this offseason, and addressing Allen’s situation was always likely to be one of them. Ultimately, Allen may have summed up the talks by saying he simply was not going to restructure his contract coming off such a strong season.
Allen posted 1,243 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in only 13 games for the Chargers last year. He had every right to refuse to adjust his contract, but he likely knew that refusing to do so would probably lead to his departure.
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