The Los Angeles Chargers likely needed to add a young pass-catcher in the 2026 NFL Draft. With a new offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel, a central goal of this offseason has been to provide him with a full arsenal of weapons on his side of the ball.
When the Chargers game on the board near the start of the fourth round, therefore, it wasn't a massive surprise that they drafted Brenen Thompson, the speedy receiver out of Mississippi State.
Although the Chargers lack the alpha receiver that some teams have, Thompson comes into a pretty robust room. Quentin Johnston will be around for at least one more season, while Ladd McConkey, Tre' Harris, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith should all be poised to take on larger roles in 2026.
But by selecting Thompson, Los Angeles has left themselves with a clear predicament. Keenan Allen, who remains a free agent, is now expendable. As much as Chargers fans would probably like to see him come back for another season, the team's addition of Thompson could serve as a clear indicator of Allen's departure.
The Chargers' newest pass-catching addition could leave no room for Keenan Allen to return
It was a pleasant surprise to have Allen back in Los Angeles for the 2025 season, and his production more than justified the move. Across 17 games, Allen amassed 777 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 81 receptions, serving as a reliable and trusted target for Justin Herbert on a game-to-game basis.
But it's clear the Chargers could aim to take their receiving corps in a different direction in 2026. Allen's presence ate into Ladd McConkey's targets, with McConkey seeing less action than he did in his rookie season despite his continued advancements in his route-running and potency after the catch.
Thompson, however, presents the starkest danger to Allen's spot on the roster. McDaniel has shown an ability to utilize speed within his offensive scheme in the past, and Thompson has that in abundance. He posted a 4.26-second 40-yard-dash time— the fastest among all prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine. While there's room for the Chargers to utilize him as a special teams weapon, there's also a strong chance he takes on significant duties out of the slot.
With Thompson there to take the top off the defense, McDaniel should be able to open up easy completions for McConkey, Lambert-Smith, and Harris much more routinely than Greg Roman was able to.
For his part, Allen has made clear he's not willing to play anywhere else other than Los Angeles at this point in his career. But bringing Allen back would leave Thompson sidelined for much of his rookie campaign
It's a choice the Chargers will soon have to make, but the scales are not currently tipped in Allen's favor.
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