Keenan Allen is making a highly anticipated return to the Los Angeles Chargers after spending 11 years with the team. The 33-year-old wideout recently signed a one-year contract. He’s excited to return to the franchise that originally drafted him in 2013. He was recently back after a brief stint with the Chicago Bears. During the 2023 season he proved that he still had it on the field.
In March 2024, the Chargers traded Allen to the Chicago Bears for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Through his 13 games with the Bears, he found success, finishing with 70 catches for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. Allen personally flourished in the new environment. He continued to be one of the league’s most dangerous receivers, eventually establishing himself as a six-time Pro Bowler.
After wide receiver Mike Williams surprised the Chargers with an unexpected retirement, bringing back Allen makes even more sense. Long before this recent development, the team had clearly shown their desire to have Allen as their starting quarterback of the future. After the recent retirement of Williams, a reunion between Allen and the Chargers became much more likely.
The Friday before, Allen had the workout for the Chargers, which he left quite an impression on the coaches and management. The team’s general manager, Joe Hortiz, emphasized the importance of having skilled players on the field, stating, “You get good players on the field and you play them.”
Allen will once again be catching passes from quarterback Justin Herbert, who has developed a good rapport with the wideout during their years together. Whenever he’s ready, that is. The two are supposed to mesh seamlessly together as they hope to rejuvenate the Chargers’ passing game. Given Allen’s previous experience with Herbert’s style of play, it should make for an easy return to the Chargers offense.
Plus, they’ll be pairing Keenan Allen with new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who has earned a reputation for deploying innovative offensive attacks. This partnership is anticipated to maximize Allen’s effectiveness as he integrates into the Chargers’ system once again.
As he steps back onto the field in Los Angeles, Allen takes on a different challenge. He is poised to lead a young receiving corps that includes rookie Ladd McConkey. McConkey, who’s a primarily-used slot receiver similar to Allen, shattered most of Allen’s rookie receiving records in 2024. Their working relationship might be key for Perkins and the team’s offensive success as a whole.
“I think [Bears wide receiver] DJ Moore’s played a lot of slot, and they were both on the field 80% of the time last year,” – Joe Hortiz
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