EVERETT CHARGED UP ABOUT REUNION
The Bears’ trade for six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen has elicited an enthusiastic response to rival some of the Bears’ biggest trades in recent years — Jay Cutler in 2009, Brandon Marshall in 2012 and Khalil Mack in 2018.
And not just from fans. Tight end Gerald Everett, a teammate of Allen’s the last two seasons with the Chargers who signed a twoyear, $12 million contract with the Bears in free agency, is happy to be rejoining Allen in Chicago.
“Excited. Excited,” Everett said when asked his reaction to the trade. “He was one of the first guys that I actually intertwined with when I joined the Chargers in 2022. It’s good to make this transition with a familiar face.”
Allen is coming off another Pro Bowl season, with 108 receptions for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games before missing the final four games with a shoulder injury. His 95.6 yards per game was fifth in the NFL last season.
“He’s a craftsman,” Everett said of Allen. ‘‘He’s very consistent, just how he approaches the practice field every day. He’s a laidback guy, but when the lights come on, he produces. It’s infectious. People feed off that and the Chargers, we fed off that. Watching him when I was with the Rams (in 2017-20), [they] always fed off Keenan. I don’t see that changing here, even with DJ [Moore].”
Everett himself has been a model of consistency with the Rams, Seahawks and Chargers. He had 51 receptions for 411 yards and three touchdowns with the Chargers in 2023. He’ll play a complementary role as the move tight end, replacing Robert Tonyan.
He’s familiar with new Bears coordinator Shane Waldron and his offense. Waldron was Everett’s tight ends coach in 2017 with the Rams and the passing game coordinator in 2018-20, and the offensive coordinator with the Seahawks when Everett was there in 2021.
“I think [the Bears are] gonna get what they bargained for,” Everett said. “It’s gonna be a good situation. We’re gonna have a lot of production. We’re gonna have a lot of cohesion in our room. The sky’s the limit for us — especially with Shane calling the plays.”
Safety’s squeeze
Veteran safety Jonathan Owens felt the love of Bears fans when he signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Bears — even if much of that excitement was because of his wife, four-time Olympic gold-medal gymnast
Simone Biles.
“It feels amazing,” Owens said. “It gives you more encouragement to go out there and throw your body on the line for them. Me and my wife, we’re both super excited. You’ve seen she’s excited about the pizza — that’s her favorite food. She can’t wait to get here and experience the city of Chicago.”
Owens said he enjoys the attention his wife gets.
“I love it. I don’t care at all,” Owens said. “That’s my wife. If anything, it’s like a respect thing that people always mention my wife first, because you always want your wife on this pedestal. I love her. I support her. It’s no jealousy. We both support each other to the fullest.”
Pettis back on board
The Bears re-signed wide receiver Dante Pettis, who did not play last year after suffering a neck injury in a preseason game against the Colts. Pettis, 28, is looking forward to getting acclimated to Waldron’s offense. It’s similar to the system Pettis was in with the 49ers under Kyle Shanahan.
“I love it. It’s some freedom for a route runner like me,” Pettis said. “You get to be creative. You kind of got to know when to be at the spot and there’s rules and everything you’ve got to follow certain things. But for the most part they do a good job of letting creative people be creative.”✶