Yes, the Bears have shipped linebacker Jared Allen, reportedly for a sixth-round pick. The Bears have officially announced the move, without announcing the compensation.
“We had some depth at the linebacker position and were able to reach an agreement with the Panthers to bring a 2016 draft pick to our team in exchange for Jared Allen,” Bears G.M. Ryan Pace said in a statement issued Monday. “Whether it is acquiring additional picks or signing players, we will continue to be aggressive in finding ways to improve our football team. We appreciate Jared’s contributions and wish him the best in Carolina.”
The move isn’t a surprise, given that the Bears have shifted from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4. From Carolina’s perspective, it’s a bit surprising they didn’t trade for Willie Young instead, another converted linebacker who had 10 sacks last year and who possibly could have been had for even less compensation.
For Allen, he has swapped the 0-3 Bears for the 3-0 Panthers, which gives him a much better chance to get back to the postseason again. His presence gives the Panthers a better chance to get there, given the departure of Greg Hardy, the loss of Frank Alexander for the season, and the absence of Charles Johnson for the next several weeks.