Dating back to the preseason, Chicago Bears fans have had a close eye on veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen and looking for any reason to validate their belief that Ryan Poles made a mistake when he sent a fourth-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for Allen last March.
Allen hasn't been the perennial Pro-Bowl wide receiver with the Bears this season that he was with the Chargers but he hasn't been the disaster that some fans believe him to be.
In recent weeks, Allen's connection with Caleb Williams has taken center stage as it's become clear that the veteran wide receiver has become a safety blanket for the rookie quarterback. Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions may have been the perfect example of that as Allen totaled 141 receiving yards and 1 touchdown on 9 receptions.
Allen's recent success has led to questions about whether there is a path toward him returning to the Bears in the offseason. Allen has previously stated a desire to return to the Bears, or Los Angeles, but when speaking with reporters on Sunday, the veteran had a different tune.
"You got to prove it to all 32 teams. At the end of the day, that's what it's about. The last name on your back is really what matters," Allen said.
The idea of Allen returning to the Bears this offseason is similar to looking at Allen through the lens of the Bears' struggles this season. While Allen hasn't fully lived up to the expectations Bears fans had for him, he has been far from the team's biggest problem this season. Similarly, this offseason, while there is some logic to the idea of the Bears bringing Allen back, he is far from the top priority. Given that fact, it remains more likely than not that Allen's time with the Bears will be one-and-done.