Keenan Allen is back: Why Chargers signed him now, and how he fits into WR room

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers undrafted rookie quarterback DJ Uiagalelei had been wearing No. 13 through the first three weeks of training camp, including in the Hall of Fame Game last week. It never quite felt right. Of course, that number had belonged to receiver Keenan Allen for 11 seasons, from 2013 to ’23, as Allen became the leading wide receiver in franchise history.

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On Tuesday evening at The Bolt, Uiagalelei jogged onto the practice fields wearing a different jersey, No. 7. Something was up. Moments later, the Chargers announced the reason: Allen had agreed to terms to return to the Chargers for a 14th season.

He is back.

“This is where he grew up,” general manager Joe Hortiz said of Allen on the practice sidelines about an hour later. “This is where he became Keenan Allen.”

Allen was under contract with the Chargers when coach Jim Harbaugh and Hortiz took over in early February 2024. Harbaugh mentioned Allen by name at his introductory news conference at SoFi Stadium, including him in the exciting “pros on this team.” Six weeks later, the Chargers traded Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick. The Chargers were cap-crunched. They needed to clear space. They initially approached Allen about taking a pay cut, but the two sides could not come to terms. The Bears swooped in and offered a quality return.

Earlier this week, Harbaugh hinted at those comments he made at his introductory news conference. “You probably know my feelings on that, pretty much dating back to when I first took the job,” he said. “The interest has always been in there in Keenan.”

The Chargers brought Allen in for a visit on Friday. Harbaugh said that visit “went well.”

“He did a lot of Keenan things,” Harbaugh said. “It was an impressive workout.”

Allen was in the final year of his deal when he was traded to the Bears. He became a free agent in March.

“We know how good he’s been throughout his career, and he was out there on the open market still,” Hortiz said. “A chance to bring someone of his caliber back (who) we think can help us win games, so we’re fired up to have him.”

The Chargers opted for an alternate reunion earlier this offseason when they signed Mike Williams to a one-year deal. Williams had spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Chargers. Like Allen, Williams was in the final year of his deal with the Chargers in the 2024 offseason. The Chargers cut him to save cap space.

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Williams filled a more logical role for the current Chargers roster. He had proven with the Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert that he could be a down-the-field threat outside the numbers, particularly in contested-catch situations. That was a skill the Chargers were lacking, especially before the draft.

Williams, though, shockingly announced his retirement on the eve of training camp. That left a vacuum of sorts in the Chargers receiver room. They had talent, sure. Ladd McConkey emerged as true No. 1 option as a rookie. The drafted Tre’ Harris in the second round and KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the fifth round. But this was a very young group. After Williams’ retirement, Quentin Johnston was the career receptions leader in the room with 93.

Allen has 974 career receptions.

Hortiz admitted that Williams retiring “opened up more opportunity.”

“We know Keenan brings veteran presence, and I think everyone knows that,” Hortiz said. “What he’s done in this league, all the pelts he has on the wall, you get a chance to add someone like that, you do it.”

this duo >> pic.twitter.com/XHU1bSCyP6 — Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 6, 2025

Where does Allen fit into the current makeup of the Chargers receiver room?

McConkey played a vast majority of his snaps in the slot last season. According to TruMedia, he ran 340 routes from the slot and 135 routes from the outside. He was also more productive in the slot, both in terms of total production and efficiency. McConkey averaged .08 expected points added per route on the outside and .14 EPA per route in the slot in 2024, according to TruMedia. He caught 29 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns on the outside in 2024. He caught 52 passes for 761 yards and five touchdowns from the slot.

TruMedia’s alignment data only goes back to 2019. So Allen’s splits do not cover his entire career. He has played more in the slot in that span, the past six seasons. From 2019 to ’24, Allen ran 1,810 routes from the slot and 1,344 routes on the outside. He caught 287 passes for 3,020 yards and 20 touchdowns from the slot. He caught 261 passes for 3,008 yards and 18 touchdowns on the outside. From an efficiency standpoint, Allen averaged .06 EPA per route from the slot and .08 EPA per route from the outside.

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“I think he can help us in multiple roles,” Hortiz said. “I really believe that. I think he’s been that way his whole career, and I don’t see that being any different now. … You guys know how Keenan has been used everywhere he’s been, and you’ll see the same thing. A lot of versatility.”

Hortiz added: “You get good players on the field, and you play them. So you can get creative with a lot of different players. Ladd’s played a lot of slot. Ladd’s also been productive outside. Keenan’s played a lot of slot. Keenan’s been productive outside.”

McConkey and Allen now become interchangeable pieces. At the same time, there is a reason the Chargers focused primarily on outside receiver as they added in the offseason, from Williams to Harris to Lambert-Smith. It seemed like a concerted effort to create complementary pieces around what McConkey brings in the slot.

Will the Chargers be getting the absolute most out of both McConkey and Allen if only one of the two can play in the slot in three-receiver packages? That is to be determined. Both players have certainly shown the ability to produce on the outside. Both players have also spent the majority of their time in the slot.

In the end, the Chargers needed a proven player at this position after Williams retired. And they brought back the most proven wide receiver in the history of the organization.

“You got a lot of good football players on the field that help you win games,” Hortiz said, “and that makes you tough to beat.”

News and notes

• Chargers who did not practice Tuesday: receiver Derius Davis, McConkey, receiver JaQuae Jackson, safety Jaylen Jones, tight end Jordan Petaia, edge rusher Kyle Kennard, right guard Mekhi Becton, receiver Dez Fitzpatrick, receiver Jalen Reagor, tight end Will Dissly, and cornerback Nikko Reed. Both McConkey and Becton, two projected starters, have not practiced since July 28.

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• The Chargers held a pretty run-focused practice Tuesday. They were in pads. The practice included a nine-on-seven period — run personnel from the offense and defense — with all 15 reps as rushing plays. The 11-on-11 periods featured a heavy dose of run plays, as well. The Chargers also had a slower-tempo 11-on-11 period of exclusively runs.

The slower-tempo 11-on-11 period provided a look at the running back depth chart. Rookie Omarion Hampton got the first two runs, followed by Hassan Haskins, Raheim Sanders, Jaret Patterson and Kimani Vidal, in that order.

Hampton broke off his first explosive run of camp in a more physical 11-on-11 period later in practice. The starting offensive line got off the ball well and provided initial push. Hampton found a crease to his left and surged into the open field. He shook safety RJ Mickens and was then one-on-one with cornerback Trikweze Bridges at the goal line. The Chargers were not tackling, but this was a likely 20-yard touchdown for the first-round pick.

Sanders, who sat out a week early in camp with an injury, also broke off a long run, this one in nine-on-seven. Sanders showed excellent vision on this play. He was patient as he read the blocks, then found a small hole to his left before hitting the open field.

On defense, edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu had two violent reps against the first-team offensive line in the nine-on-seven period. On the first, he shot a gap to tag off Hampton for a tackle for loss. On the second, he knocked back left guard Zion Johnson, who was pulling on the play. Johnson collided with Haskins, whose momentum was stopped.

Edge rusher Khalil Mack also had two run stuffs in the opening 11-on-11 period.

• Rookie receiver Luke Grimm had a touchdown catch on a slant route in 11-on-11. He was working with the third team and caught the pass from Uiagalelei.

(Photo: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

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