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The Los Angeles Chargers reunited with a familiar face in Keenan Allen on Tuesday. It is the second time they have brought back a legendary veteran receiver, with the Mike Williams experiment ending in a quick retirement. But after a solid season with the Chicago Bears, Allen is back in LA. A lot has changed with the Bolts, but Chargers GM Joe Horitz is not concerned about Allen’s fit with Ladd McConkey.
“I think Dj Moore’s played a lot of slot, and they both were on the field 80% of the time last year,” Horitz said, per ESPN’s Kris Rhim. “You get good players on the field and you play them.”
The Chargers GM is referencing Allen’s one year with the Bears as a blueprint they can use for this season. McConkey came in last year and dominated as a rookie in the slot. Allen had previously manned the slot for 11 seasons with the Bolts. While Williams would have been a better complement to McConkey, Allen can work there as well.
The Chargers should prioritize McConkey’s development over anything else in their wide receiver room this year. He had a fantastic rookie season, with 82 catches and 1,149 yards. His connection with Justin Herbert was strong and can help lift the quarterback to the next level. Allen is a nice piece to have, but not at the expense of McConkey’s development.
The Chargers also added Najee Harris to their running back room and are hoping to get more out of Quentin Johnston. But the offense is going to run through McConkey, who has quickly become one of the top slot receivers in the league. They had a ton of success targeting Allen for the decade before this, so they should work well together off the field.
The Chargers continue their preseason schedule on August 10 against the New Orleans Saints.
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