Mike Williams’ sudden retirement left the Chargers stunned. Williams was brought back to be a stabilizing veteran for their thin receiving corps. Still, with him out of the picture, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and rookie Tre Harris are Justin Herbert’s primary targets.
However, another name from the Chargers’ recent past could step in and stabilize the receiver room, giving Herbert an experienced target with size and savvy.
Will the Chargers Add Keenan Allen to Their WR Room?
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox thinks Allen could be a good fit for either the Chargers or New England Patriots, but the Chargers stand out as a logical landing spot.
“Make no mistake, Allen can still be a solid contributor and an experienced leader in the right system,” Knox writes. “A return to the Los Angeles Chargers would also make sense. The Chargers lacked receiver depth after parting with Allen and Mike Williams last offseason.”
Allen had what he might consider a subpar year for himself in 2024, catching 70 passes on 121 targets for 744 yards and seven touchdowns for the Chicago Bears. That’s a big drop off from 2023 when he caught 108 of 150 targets for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.
However, Allen was not bad — he was just playing for the Bears. Chicago gained just 3,086 yards through the air, head coach Matt Eberflus was fired mid-season, and Caleb Williams dealt with growing pains throughout his rookie year. Incidentally, the Bears are still the only franchise that has never had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards.
Reuniting with the Chargers would be almost too perfect. Allen has a history with the franchise, knows the offensive system, has a rapport with Herbert, and would not break the bank at this stage of his career.
McConkey has quickly established himself as a premier route runner and clearly Herbert’s first option, but he’ll need help. Johnston caught 50 of 91 targets in 2024, and Allen outperformed him while playing in an underachieving offense.
Allen would likely be the second option while the Chargers figure out what they have in Harris. He’s already showing great moves in practice, but it remains to be seen if he’s ready to take on a major role.
Chargers WR Tre Harris on two separate 1-on-1 plays. Both throws from QB Justin Herbert. pic.twitter.com/vyFxqGJ6I2
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) July 22, 2025
In a perfect world, the Chargers could get Allen in the building on a team-friendly deal, easing Harris into the rotation and giving Herbert another reliable target. Also, Allen could be an excellent mentor for McConkey and Harris.
The Chargers are a run-first team, but no matter how much they want to pound the rock, the modern NFL requires a functional passing game to win consistently.
Acquiring Allen would go a long way towards helping the Chargers do that.
