Should the Falcons Pursue This Six-Time Pro Bowl Wide Receiver?

The Atlanta Falcons are only a few days away from the legal tampering period kicking off what should be a wild news cycle over the next several weeks. New general manager Ian Cunningham has made a handful of roster moves already, but what he does in free agency will provide us with our first real glimpse of how he views the roster.

Any veterans added or retained during the next several weeks will provide a blueprint for the draft, what they can achieve in 2026, and the overall plan for 2026.

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The Falcons will have several holes to patch on their roster. They could use this window to pursue a defensive lineman, wide receiver, quarterback, linebacker, running back, and even a cornerback. With so many needs, there has been plenty of speculation on who they could pursue and what it ultimately means for the franchise moving forward.

One major need for the Falcons is a wide receiver. After the release of Darnell Mooney was reported earlier this week, Atlanta was left with just two players remaining on their roster (Drake London and Casey Washington). Whether it comes via the draft, free agency, or both, the Falcons must fill out that room with more capable players.

Cunningham has already referred to the position as a ‘premium’ one, saying, “It's a premium position. I feel like at this event it's my job to look at every single position, but [we're] definitely going to make sure we evaluate the receivers as well.”

Adding an affordable veteran would make a lot of sense for the Falcons, which made the assertion from Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano all the more interesting. The NFL contributor highlighted the need and said they should pursue Keenan Allen.

“Michael Penix Jr. needs a friendly target who can get open quickly. Adding Allen to the receiving corps would help with Penix’s development and take pressure from Drake London and Kyle Pitts. The veteran receiver still has plenty to offer after recording 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns last season with the Chargers,” Manzano wrote.

Allen will be 34 by the time next season kicks off, but he should be an affordable option for the Falcons. He would be able to play an important role, both as another safety valve for Penix and as a mentor for London. It would not be all too dissimilar from Joe Horn mentoring a young Roddy White, or White mentoring a young Julio Jones.

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He has dealt with a fair share of injuries over the last several years, but he is a steady figure who could prove to be quite valuable.

The wideout has spent nearly his entire career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. While he spent the 2024 season away from his California home in Chicago (traded for a fourth-round pick), he returned to Los Angeles in 2025 on an affordable $3 million deal.

Allen may not want to leave the Chargers. Should he choose to do so, the Falcons would be wise to check in and see what it would cost to bring him to Flowery Branch.