Who Should I Start? Mo Alie-Cox or Keenan Allen

Friday, February 23, 2:30 PM

The Athletic's James Boyd writes that Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox is an easy target if the team wishes to create more salary cap space this offseason. He's entering the final year of a three-year, $17.6 million contract extension that he signed in 2022. Alie-Cox is due the last $5.9 million of that in 2024, but none of it is guaranteed. The 30-year-old is the team's best blocking tight end and has recorded at least three touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, but he's not getting any younger and is unlikely to develop into a true No. 1 pass-catching tight end at this point of his career. Both Will Mallory and third-year tight end Jelani Woods, who missed all of 2023 with hamstring issues, give the Colts more upside at the position amid their current youth movement. Alie-Cox hasn't been much more than a low-upside, touchdown-dependent TE2 option for fantasy managers in deep leagues.

Monday, March 25, 2:51 PM

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles said he thinks a long-term contract extension will come "down the road" for new wide receiver Keenan Allen, who is entering the final year of a four-year deal in 2024. "I try to be intentional with the order that we do extensions, so we'll review that and kind of see what our order looks like. But for what he stands for, I would love to have him long term," Poles said. The Bears might look to lock up DJ Moore first, but Chicago wants to keep their one-two punch of Moore and Allen around in the Windy City long term for USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who the Bears are expected to take first overall in the upcoming NFL draft. Despite missing the last four games in 2023 with an injury, Allen had a career-high 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven TDs in 13 games for the Bolts. However, his numbers could come down in his first year in Chicago while sharing the load with Moore with a rookie QB likely running the offense.