ESPN NFL Insider reveals latest update on Los Angeles Chargers veteran WR Keenan Allen’s free agency preferences
With training camps beginning in about a week, there’s a new update on 12-year Los Angeles Chargers veteran Keenan Allen and his free agency preferences. Could the East Coast be in his future?
Keenan Allen has devoted much of his career to the Los Angeles Chargers, but the East Coast could be in his future, says one NFL Insider.
Allen has appeared in 162 combined regular-season and postseason games with the Chargers dating back to his rookie campaign in 2013. He surpassed Antonio Gates for the most receptions in franchise history just last season. In 2024, he spent his lone season away from the team playing with the Chicago Bears. Entering his age-34 season, Allen remains unsigned as NFL training camps begin in about a week.
So what does the future hold for this particular LAC legend? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently joined his colleague John Keim to discuss the Washington Commanders. They spoke about several free-agent wide receivers, but his comments on Allen were quite telling.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says the East Coast might be in WR Keenan Allen’s future
Keim asked Fowler what he thought about the idea of Allen joining the Commanders under the caveat that he’s played all but one year on the West Coast. Fowler seemed to suggest that a West Coast preference hasn’t been as high on Allen’s wishlist this year.
“Yeah, that’s interesting because I remember last free agency, I heard that he wanted to stay on the West Coast and did,” Fowler said. “This year, I haven’t heard that as much. That doesn’t mean he might not want to. But he has come around to (the idea of) coming to the East Coast and playing.”
Perhaps Allen’s preferences remain toward a team with playoff chances? He’s only appeared in six playoff games across 13 NFL seasons, and he’s never advanced past the divisional round. As Fowler suggests, perhaps his preference is toward helping a young and talented quarterback reach his ceiling. Whatever his team preferences may be, it always comes down to the brass tacks: The contract.
“But I think at this stage, you know, he feels like his game ages well. He’s not a speed guy. He’s not a 4.3 runner. But he can get open and run routes. So, as long as he can still do that and help a young quarterback, I think it would be enticing to him. I could see that, but the money always speaks with these deals. You’ve got to have something that’s respectable to the player. That’s why these free agents are tough, these 30-year-old guys, because they’re used to a certain price point. It’s probably not going to be there anymore.”
Allen signed a one-year, $3 million deal to return to the Chargers in 2025. He caught 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns on the season. It’d stand to reason that he’d be looking for a similar deal. That was easy to get from a team like LAC, who knows Allen well. Landing that type of deal on the free agent market in late July might be tough.