One of the more intriguing storylines emerging from Week 4 of the NFL season is that the Kansas City Chiefs may be searching the trade market for a wide receiver after the injury to Rashee Rice. Rice is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in the Chiefs' victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
With Rice expected to miss the remainder of the season, speculation has already begun on potential trade targets. One early name mentioned that seemed to be rooted more in fantasy than reality is Chicago Bears' wide receiver Keenan Allen.
There doesn't seem to be a scenario where the Bears will be willing to trade Allen. On Wednesday, Brag Biggs of the Chicago Tribune debunked the Allen trade speculation.
Allen has been hampered by plantar fasciitis in his heel since mid-August. He missed Weeks 2 and 3, and it’s impossible to say at this point how he will hold up in the weeks and months to come. Trading for a player who would come with an injury that, at minimum, could require maintenance doesn’t make a lot of sense from the Chiefs’ point of view.
Biggs also noted that the Chiefs don't have the financial flexibility to add Allen to their roster without some serious restructuring needed.
A Keenan Allen trade won't be happening.
For better or worse, the Bears are going to be stuck with Allen this season. The best-case scenario is that Allen is able to overcome the heel injury that has derailed his start to the season and returns to being the Pro-Bowl caliber wide receiver the Bears believed they were acquiring last March. On the other side, if Allen's heel injury is an issue for the entire season, then the Bears will need to hope Rome Odunze's development is accelerated.