Keenan Allen Returns to the Chargers: A Surprising Reunion
Wide receiver Keenan Allen returns to the Chargers, the team he played for during his first 11 years in the NFL, after reaching a one-year agreement. The news comes after the surprising retirement of Mike Williams last month, which opened the door to a possible reunion. Allen, 33, will reunite with quarterback Justin Herbert. However, the six-time Pro Bowler receiver will encounter a very different group of receivers than the one he left when the Chargers traded him to the Chicago Bears after the 2023 season. Ladd McConkey, who broke many of Allen’s rookie receiving records in 2024, usually plays as a slot receiver, just like Allen. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman will be tasked with making Allen and McConkey fit into the passing offense.Hortiz also added that his team is “excited” to have Allen on board and noted that, while Allen was always an option, there were more opportunities after Williams’ retirement. With Allen’s return, undrafted rookie quarterback DJ Uiagalelei switched from number 13 to 7. The Chargers selected Allen with the number 76 pick in the 2013 NFL draft from Cal. He remained with the Bolts until the 2023 season, when he set the franchise record for most receptions in a single season with 108, despite missing the last four games due to a heel injury. He was the most reliable weapon in a receiving corps that was inconsistent throughout that campaign. After the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension, the Chargers traded Allen to the Bears in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick in March 2024. Sources close to Allen reported that the exchange took him by surprise. In Chicago, Allen was not as productive and finished last season with 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven touchdowns before leaving in free agency this offseason.“I think DJ Moore has played a lot in the slot, and both were on the field 80% of the time last year. You have good players on the field and you make them play”.
Joe Hortiz, Chargers General Manager