Keenan Allen Early Buzz Would Solve Saints' Hole at WR

The New Orleans Saints are arguably one wide receiver from potentially having a high-powered offense in 2026.

New Orleans has the quarterback in place in Tyler Shough and has a clear No. 1 receiver in Chris Olave. There aren't many teams that can boast that they have a clear-cut No. 1 receiver, but that is the case for New Orleans. Olave was a second-team All-Pro in 2025 after racking up 1,163 receiving yards, 100 catches and nine touchdowns in 16 games played. Imagine how those numbers could've looked if Shough was the starter all season?

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Devaughn Vele looked good after Rashid Shaheed was moved and has an inside track to being the team's No. 2 or No. 3 receiver in 2026, depending on how the offseason goes. The Saints have a high-powered, pass-catching tight end in Juwan Johnson. Also, the Saints have a star running back on their hands in Alvin Kamara, although New Orleans needs a long-term answer at the position as well.

If the Saints can add another weapon to this offense and Shough takes a step forward, the offense could be really good in 2026. FOX Sports floated an intriguing option: six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen.

The Saints should add Keenan Allen

Dec 8, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) celebrates after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"No. 81. Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers," FOX Sports' Greg Auman wrote. "Allen, 33, returned to the Chargers in 2025 and still found a way to get 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns. He's easing into WR3 mode, but has a résumé with 1,000-plus catches and 70 career touchdowns, so he's a good fit for a team looking for a veteran mentor to pair with a young receiver. That could mean staying with the Chargers, but he'd be a nice value match for the Saints, who could use another playmaker and have Kellen Moore, who had him in 2023."

Allen has had success playing in Kellen Moore's system as they overlapped when the Saints head coach was the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator in 2023. That season, Allen had 1,243 receiving yards, 108 catches and seven touchdowns in just 13 games.

Allen is 33 years old now, but he had 777 yards, 81 catches and four touchdowns in 2025 in 17 games. Pair that production with Olave, Vele and Johnson with Shough and all of a sudden you have a high-octane passing offense.

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