Ever since Chargers legend Keenan Allen was traded away from the Chargers after his incredible 2023 season, fans and media alike have been begging for the Chargers to find more receiver help for Justin Herbert. While this has materialized in the form of second-round draft picks of Ladd McConkey and Tre Harris, there is still plenty of room for improvement. A name that was constantly thrown around, especially during the course of the 2024 offseason, was Keenan Allen.
After a year with the Bears, Allen is back with the Chargers, ready to pick up where he left off. Complete elation for the fanbase.
Six-time Pro-Bowl WR Keenan Allen, who spent the first 11 seasons of his NFL career with the Chargers, is re-signing with the franchise. Allen visited the Chargers on Aug. 1, and the visit now has been extended for this season. pic.twitter.com/slEYlnIyI2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 5, 2025
Chargers Fans’ Biggest Wish of 2025 Is Granted – Keenan Allen Is Back
To see the great importance that this signing is, it is important to give a brief history of the “Keenan Allen Saga.”
Spark Notes: The Keenan Allen Saga
- Keenan Allen has arguably his best season of his career in 2023, at the age of 31
- The cap hit was large, Chargers were in a bad spot in regards to the cap
- Was asked to take a pay cut after his impressive season, Allen declines
- Allen was traded away to the Bears for a fourth-round pick (which was subsequently traded to land Tarheeb Still)
- Allen has an OK season in Chicago, considering the offense was a crowded mess
- The Chargers lost in the first round of the playoffs, largely due to a lack of weapons, a theme of the entire 2024 season
- Chargers receiver room gets draftees: Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith (known as KLS), sign/reunite with Mike Williams, and lastly, see an impressive training camp from veteran Jalen Reagor
- Reagor gets hurt, Williams unpromptedly retires, leaving the Chargers to rely on a room full of rookie-contract players (Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, Harris, Lambert-Smith, etc.)
- Chargers see flashes from KLS in the 2025 Hall-of-Fame game, but are still missing a proven, reliable target for Herbert outside of McConkey
- After a workout on August 1, on August 5, the Chargers signed Keenan Allen to a contract
Impact On 2025 Season: How Much Can A 33-Year-Old Change An Offense?
Now with the signing confirmed, the first question to be asked is how much can the 33-year-old Keenan Allen can change this Chargers offense in 2025?
Herbert finally gets a weapon with whom he has true chemistry, a guy who can reliably beat man coverage outside of Ladd McConkey. This would allow McConkey to see more single coverage, allow the Chargers to have another outlet to help beat interior-blitzes, an issue I foresee happening in 2025. Lastly, more depth and veteran leadership for all of these young receivers to learn from.
On the contrary, there is some pause in regard to Allen coming back to the Chargers: his general fit in the offense, coupled with him taking snaps away from the younger receivers who desperately need that game-time to develop.
While taking away snaps from the young Chargers receivers is usually not a great process, the Chargers are in a unique situation where they could truly make a deep run in the playoffs as long as they fix some issues on their offense. One of which was the lack of reliable targets for Herbert. Allen brings that from day one.
At the age of 33, Allen is likely to be a role player anyway, so his role is really to smooth out the development of the younger guys, giving them time to get up to true NFL standards. Harris, KLS, and even Johnston, to an extent, will still get run during the course of the season and find themselves learning from Allen whether it is in practice, on the sidelines, or on the field next to him.
Overblown Narrative Has Led To Doubt… Proving Why Keenan Allen Easily Fits In This Chargers Offense
The more talked about issue is his fit with McConkey in this offense. The narrative is completely overblown. As written before, this fit between Allen and McConkey can be a successful marriage. The Chargers leading receiver last season has been reportedly unhappy about being labeled a slot-only guy, as he has shown he can play on the outside.
Chargers WR coach on bringing in X receivers to complement Ladd McConkey in the slot: “We don’t see Ladd (McConkey) as a slot, he hates being called that…Ladd can play everywhere.”
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) June 3, 2025
Beyond McConkey’s feelings towards the sentiment, stats show that he produces no matter what position he is in. According to Tyler Schoon, “All three of Ladd McConkey’s highest snap % playing out wide (35.9%, 42.1%, and 42.1%) came within the final four games of the 2024 season. He had 378 receiving yards and three touchdowns in those three games.”
Moving forward to the Allen side of things, as another guy who has been labeled a slot guy throughout his career, he has shown he can play on the outside as well, even if it is not his best position. The truth is, Allen playing “out of position” is going to be more productive than anyone else they have currently on the roster.
Last season, Keenan Allen played 448 snaps in the slot and 398 on the outside.
The percentage is 47% on the outside, 53% in the slot.
No reason why he cannot do this again in 2025. https://t.co/CFzWX2BPA5
— Nate Gosney (@NateGosney) August 1, 2025
To recap, McConkey played on the outside the most at the end of last season, producing at a high level. Allen played nearly 50/50 on the outside and in the slot last season and produced as much as he could in a bad situation. Together, they will be able to rotate in and out of the slot and produce no matter what spot they are lined up in. Herbert will find his receivers and give the Chargers a fighting chance as he always does.
Main Photo: [Bob Kupbens] – USA Today Sports
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