Keenan Allen is one of the top free agents remaining on the open market and, despite his age, still has some juice left in his tank. A third-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the California product was one of the league’s more reliable chain-moving receivers at the peak of his career. While he’s no longer a perennial 1,000-yard threat, he proved he can still be effective in the right role. After spending the 2024 season with the Chicago Bears, Allen reunited with the Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert for 2025, finishing the season with 81 receptions for 777 yards and four touchdowns on 122 targets.
Now entering his age-34 season, Keenan Allen is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but he can still help a team looking for more depth at the wide receiver position. Put simply, there aren’t enough good pass-catching weapons to go around, and while the present-day version of Allen shouldn’t be leading any passing attacks, he’s more than capable of being a solid second or third option on a depth chart. With this in mind, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes the New Orleans Saints could make a move for the six-time Pro Bowler.
“Saints wideout Chris Olave registered nine touchdown receptions last season, scoring on big plays with four outside the red zone,” Moton writes. “Allen could be the primary target inside the 20-yard line when the ball is in Shough’s hands.”
Keenan Allen, Saints Linked In Latest Offseason Rumor
Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints look like a team on the rise. After Drew Brees called it a career, the team attempted to tread water at the game’s most important position by rolling with unremarkable veterans like Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Derek Carr. They finally embraced a young option with Louisville’s Tyler Shough, and the former second-round pick showed plenty of promise as a rookie. While it’s too early to say whether or not he’ll be a definitive franchise savior, he looked the part in the back half of the 2025 season.
Taking over for Spencer Rattler, Shough made nine starts on the season, going 5-4 while completing 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 74.6 PFF grade, the 19th-best mark in the league out of 38 eligible passers. He was the league’s best rookie quarterback by just about every metric and could turn into a legitimate franchise quarterback if he takes the Year 2 leap.
While Shough’s talents will ultimately determine whether or not he becomes the long-awaited heir to Drew Brees, someone like Keenan Allen could help this team and the quarterback’s future. You can never have too many pass-catching weapons, and Allen’s skillset perfectly complements the rest of the depth chart.
The Other Pass Catchers
Chris Olave is unquestionably the top option on the depth chart, but that doesn’t mean Keenan Allen can’t earn a role in this offense. Olave is a traditional outside receiver who excels at making plays in the intermediate and deep parts of the field. Rookie Jordyn Tyson, meanwhile, is an athletic wonder who could become a great player, but he has yet to suit up for an NFL snap. Only time will tell what he’ll become in this league, and New Orleans shouldn’t put too much pressure on an unproven player.
If Tyson needs time to develop, Keenan Allen is more than capable of being the second receiver on the depth chart and serving as a reliable possession receiver. However, if Tyson hits the ground running, the Saints could have one of the deepest receiver rooms in football. The NFC South is wide open, and Allen could help this team push for their first playoff appearance since the Drew Brees Era.
