It was reported on Monday that Keenan Allen was added to the NFL's covid-19/reserve list with a positive test. The LA Chargers wide receiver is vaccinated, which expedites the process for Allen to return. Instead of staying away from the team for a minimum of 10 days, Allen has to post two negative tests 24 hours apart and be asymptomatic for 48 hours.
There is still a good chance that he misses the Week 14 game against the New York Giants, although he should be able to return for the big game the following Thursday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Regardless, the Chargers are going to have to add depth to the receiver room if Allen cannot go on Sunday as the team would only have four receivers on the roster, one of which is Andre Roberts, who has played three offensive snaps in six games with the Bolts.
The Bolts could elevate K.J. Hill from the practice squad, although he is not that great of an option. Joe Reed is still seemingly dealing with an injury so he is not an option either. That leaves the Chargers to pick from the NFL's scrapyard and there is a new player that just hit the market with ties to the Chargers that could add that depth the team is looking for.
The LA Chargers should sign Kenny Stills for depth if Keenan Allen cannot play.
Kenny Stills was just waived by the New Orleans Saints after playing 10 games for the team. Stills did not make much of an impact in New Orleans, as he was only targeted 22 times, making five receptions for 64 yards.
Stills is not someone who is going to come in and add a new dynamic to the LA Chargers offense. While he had some really good seasons in his career with the Miami Dolphins, those days are behind him and at this point he is merely a veteran option to add depth.
That is what the Chargers need with Allen potentially being out. The team needs someone who can pick up the playbook quickly and is familiar with the style of offense at hand. That way, if the Chargers do need to use Stills in case of emergency, it is not a complete disaster. While he only played 10 games with the Saints this season, he was in New Orleans in 2013 and 2014 and played pretty well in the New Orleans offense that Joe Lombardi has carried over to the Chargers (with some changes, of course).
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We mostly should be seeing Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer and Jalen Guyton in this game. The depth there is really suspect and relying on those three (with Roberts as the fourth) is worrisome. We have already seen what this coaching staff thinks of K.J. Hill and with that in mind, Stills might end up being the most logical depth signing.