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Keenan Allen #13 of the Los Angeles Chargers
After a decent second season as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Jim Harbaugh will attempt to take the next step forward during the upcoming 2026 NFL season in a tough AFC West division.
One of the team’s strengths has been on the offensive side of the football, with quarterback Justin Herbert being one of the best players in the league at his position, while having some talented weapons at his disposal like Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.
GettyKeenan Allen #13 of the Los Angeles Chargers
Although the Chargers already have a talented offense led by Herbert, the team can always use more weapons, as they recently signed veteran tight end David Njoku.
The team might not be done there in terms of adding veterans into the mix, as the Chargers aren’t ruling out bringing back wide receiver Keenan Allen, according to general manager Joe Horitz, who recently made an appearance on Up & Adams with Kay Adams.
“Right now we’re in a spot where we’re looking at the roster and letting these young guys get a chance, but I’ve had some communication with Keenan’s representation,” Hortiz said. “We talk. Right now, our guys that we have here, we’re letting them grow and develop, but nothing but love for Keenan. That door is not closed.”
After spending one season with the Chicago Bears, Allen returned to the Chargers in 2025, playing in all 17 games but starting in only three.
He caught 81 passes for 777 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
GettyBrandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers
Although bringing back Allen is clearly something the Chargers are exploring, the team could pivot to trading for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, whose future still remains uncertain after missing the entire 2025 NFL season.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report makes a case for the Chargers trading for Aiyuk as a way of upgrading the receiving corps ahead of next season.
As with all of these trade landing spots, it’s assumed here that Aiyuk is at least close to the player who surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 2022 and 2023. If he is, he could be for the Chargers what they wanted Johnston to be: the outside complement to McConkey in the slot.
And an already solid L.A. offense would be that much more formidable.
Obviously, Aiyuk comes with his fair share of baggage, which might not be something Harbaugh wants to take on as he tries to mold this team into an AFC Super Bowl title contender.
However, there’s also a chance that Aiyuk getting a change of scenery and arguably an upgrade at quarterback could unlock his true potential in the NFL.
During his time with the 49ers, which will likely come to an end, he caught 294 passes for 4,305 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns over five seasons with the storied franchise.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Chargers’ brass kick the tires on this idea and whether it makes the team’s offense that much more of a juggernaut next season.
Ryan Ward is a longtime credentialed writer covering the NBA and NFL. He has over 15 years of experience in the sports industry from writing, editing, social media management and podcasting. He has covered the Lakers and Raiders for Medium Large Sports, with a previous stint at ClutchPoints. Ward is a Los Angeles native from the United Kingdom, who now resides in Colorado. More about Ryan Ward
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