Receiver Reinforcements: Should Patriots Pursue Keenan Allen?
Do the New England Patriots and new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien need help at receiver? The numbers don't lie:
*This season their leading pass-catcher - Rhamondre Stevenson - wasn't even a receiver. Nor was their No. 3, tight end Hunter Henry.
*While Buffalo Bills' star Stefon Diggs amassed 108 catches for 1,429 yards and 11 touchdowns, it took almost three Patriots' receivers to match him. New England's top five - Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton - combined for only 14 touchdowns.
*Other than Meyers - who will be a free agent next month - no Patriots' receiver had more than 35 catches and 400 yards.
The Pats could draft a receiver with the 14th overall pick, though early mocks have them going defense. They likely have their eye on Arizona Cardinals' wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who has a history with O'Brien during their time together in Houston.
If they turn to free agency, the options are seemingly scarce as only Meyers, JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Kansas City Chiefs and DJ Chark of the Detroit Lions made ESPN's list of the Top 50 players. Odell Beckham Jr. will be available. So too might the Cincinnati Bengals' Tee Higgins.
But another player that could become an option will likely interest the Patriots: Keenan Allen.
At this point it's more conjecture than educated guess, the Los Angeles Chargers could part with the 30-year-old receiver this offseason in purely a cost-cutting move. L.A. is a whopping $23 million over the salary cap, and releasing Allen would save them $15 million (with a pre-June 1 designation) or $17 million (post-June 1 designation). If so, teams would be free to negotiate a new contract with him.
Despite missing seven games this season, Allen would've been the Pats' No. 1a receiver. In 10 games he totaled 66 catches for 752 yards and four scores. He's been to the Pro Bowl five times with four 1,000-yard seasons, and from 2017-21 averaged 101 receptions for 1,183 yards and six touchdowns.
Given his age and recent injury problems, Allen is not an elite No. 1 receiver. But given the Patriots' paltry options, he might look very attractive this offseason.
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