5 Chargers who are likely entering their last year with the team

5. Keenan Allen

There has been a lot of chatter around the LA Chargers trading or cutting Keenan Allen this offseason for salary-cap reasons. While the reasons are understandable considering the team's financial situation and Allen's age, it does seem a bit premature.

The Chargers have the flexibility to cut other contracts and restructure some deals in order to make space under the salary cap without having to move on from Allen. After all, even though he was hurt last season he returned and played some of the best football of his entire career.

Allen is important to this offense and is important for Justin Herbert. The least they can do is keep his favorite weapon in LA as he welcomes his third offensive coordinator in his four years of being a pro. Cutting Allen at this juncture does not make sense.

However, cutting him (or trading him) next year with only one more year on his deal does make sense. At that point in time, the Chargers could free up $23.1 million in cap space with only a $2.7 million dead cap hit.

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Give Allen one more season to prove he still has value in the league and to pass the Chargers' all-time receiving records. This also gives the team one more year of development for Joshua Palmer as well as the chance to potentially draft a receiver in the first round this year to blossom into a full replacement for Allen in 2024.