The No. 1 Receiver Saints Should Target for Tyler Shough

The New Orleans Saints need to add another big-time playmaker this offseason if they really want to make a run in the NFC South next season.

New Orleans already addressed two major holes by signing Travis Etienne Jr. and David Edwards. Both of these additions proved that New Orleans isn't messing around in the slightest and is getting aggressive ahead of the 2026 National Football League season. Right now, the Saints have just over $15 million in salary cap space, per Over The Cap.

While the Saints may not be flush with endless salary cap space, there is still a playmaker out there who arguably should be the team's top target and who would fit into the Saints' salary cap space: Keenan Allen.

The Saints should call Keenan Allen right now

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

Allen's projected market value is just over $6.8 million across one season, per Spotrac. The Saints certainly could find a way to open up more salary cap space, but Allen is someone who fits the team's salary cap right now and would help.

There are few active receivers with as much pedigree as Allen. He's a six-time Pro Bowler and and has six 1,000-plus yard seasons under his belt and 12,051 total receiving yards in his career. He played in all 17 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025 and had 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns.

If you were to plug that production between Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele, all of a sudden the Saints' offense would look like one of the very best in football on paper and give Tyler Shough plenty of weapons to throw to. Another important thing to take into account is the fact that Allen actually has played in Kellen Moore's system before back in 2023. He was 31 years old during that season and yet he had the second-highest receiving total of his career at 1,243 yards. His career high is 1,393 yards set back in 2017. Allen's 1,243 yards in 2023 came in just 13 games. Imagine what he would've looked like if he could've stayed healthy for all 17 games that year?

New Orleans should be all over Allen right now before another team can. If the Saints could bring him to town on that projected one-year deal from Spotrac, they would solve the biggest roster hole facing the franchise right now with a familiar option on a steal of a deal. If the Saints haven't at least checked in on Allen, they should now.