The Chicago Bears should probably move on from Keenan Allen but they will still need to replace him on the depth chart.
The attention is going to D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, so the Bears do not need a standout player. They need someone to work from the slot and help get those two open. This is what makes Tyler Boyd a good fit, and the team may want to target him in NFL Free agency.
Chicago Bears should sign Tyler Boyd in NFL free agency
Boyd had just 390 yards last season, but he signed with the Tennessee Titans, a poor career decision. From week one through the end of the year, they had some of the worst quarterback play, and the franchise will pick first in this upcoming draft.
Boyd will be 31 this year, so he is not going to go back to his prime when he had two straight 1,000-yard seasons. However, he did have 667 yards in 2023 which speaks to the Titans being a bigger reason for his fall off than his age.
Boyd will be two years younger than Allen, his stats and name value say he will make less than Allen, and yet for the Bears, he will fill the same role and arguably be able to do it better. Boyd has run 81.5% of his routes from the slot in his career, and last year he was 83.8%. This has always been his role and he had always been a complimentary receiver. With two notable outside presences with the Bengals while Allen has always been the top target, so downgrading his role was a bit different.
The Bears have too many draft needs to spend one on wide receiver considering what they have on their roster. They also cannot spend too much on this spot, which is why Boyd is the perfect fit for the Bears in NFL free agency.