LOS ANGELES — Wide receiver Keenan Allen, who spent the first 11 years of his NFL career with the Chargers, is returning to the team, as the sides agreed to a one-year deal Tuesday.
After Mike Williams’ surprise retirement last month, a reunion between Allen, 33, and the Chargers seemed possible. Allen worked out for the team on Friday, and he now will reunite with quarterback Justin Herbert.
But the six-time Pro Bowler will be walking into a much different receiving room than the one he left when the Chargers traded him to the Chicago Bears following the 2023 season.
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who broke many of Allen’s rookie receiving records in 2024, spends most of his time as a slot receiver, like Allen. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman will be tasked with making Allen and McConkey mesh in the passing offense.
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, speaking after the deal was announced Tuesday night, dismissed any concerns about the duo’s fit.
“I think [Bears wide receiver] DJ Moore’s played a lot of slot, and they were both on the field 80% of the time last year,” Hortiz said of Allen’s role in Chicago. “You get good players on the field and you play them.”
Hortiz added that his team is “fired up” to bring aboard Allen and noted while Allen was always an option, there was more opportunity after Williams’ retirement.
With Allen back, undrafted rookie quarterback DJ Uiagalelei switched from No. 13 to No. 7.
The Chargers selected Allen with the 76th pick in the 2013 NFL draft out of Cal.
He remained with the Bolts through the 2023 season, when he set the franchise’s single-season record for receptions with 108 despite sitting out the final four games because of a heel injury. He was the most reliable weapon in a receiving corps that was inconsistent throughout that campaign.
But after the two sides couldn’t agree to terms on a contract extension, the Chargers traded Allen to the Bears for a 2024 fourth-round pick in March 2024.
Sources close to Allen told ESPN at the time that the trade blindsided him.
But in Chicago, Allen wasn’t as productive and finished last season with 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven touchdowns before he left in free agency this offseason.