Cardinals Linked to Hall of Fame Candidate in Free Agency

The Arizona Cardinals could add a future Hall-of-Famer in free agency.

Detailed view of an Arizona Cardinals helmet at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals have their No. 1 wide receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr., but the team could benefit from adding another strong target on the opposite side to take some of the attention off of him.

ESPN analyst Matt Bowen named the Cardinals as the best fit for former Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears wideout Keenan Allen.

"Allen isn't as dynamic of a mover at this late stage of his career, but the 33-year-old showed with Chicago that he's still a crafty route runner who can make himself available to the quarterback. In Arizona, Allen could carve out a role as a chain-moving option for Kyler Murray," Bowen wrote.

"Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. are Murray's top two targets, so Allen would compete with Zay Jones and Michael Wilson for reps. Despite a heel injury keeping him out of two games in 2024, Allen finished with at least 60 receptions for the eighth straight season."

Though Allen may not be the player he once was with the Chargers in the prime of his career, he still has a lot of value, especially if he is playing in an offense with Harrison as the main focal point.

This isn't to say that Jones and Wilson are incapable of being the primary receivers behind Harrison in the depth chart, but getting a veteran in Allen forces opponents to plan their defenses differently. That alone makes him a game-changer and someone the Cardinals should covet.

Allen is waiting for the best opportunity for himself, so there isn't necessarily a rush to sign him. However, any team can sign Allen at any point, so the Cardinals should do their due diligence (if they haven't done so already) and see if it makes sense to bring him into the fold.

In the meantime, the Cardinals will participate in team OTA's later this month.