For the second straight offseason, LA Chargers fans find themselves entrenched in a game of "will he, won't he" with all-time franchise great Keenan Allen. Except this offseason, it's far more surprising.
Allen's return wasn't a guarantee last offseason and the longer time went on, the less likely it seemed that he would return. It seemed as if the Chargers would re-sign him after the NFL Draft to avoid giving up compensatory picks for him. But as Allen remained unsigned well into the summer, hopeful fans started to lose faith.
This offseason was meant to be a different story. General manager Joe Hortiz outright told Chargers fans that the team wanted to bring back Allen this offseason. And Allen has been abundantly clear about his intentions to only play for the Chargers. In theory, a deal could have (or should have) been struck before NFL free agency even began.
Instead, we are now two weeks past the start of free agency and the veteran wide receiver remains unsigned. It's starting to feel a bit like Hortiz was just giving Chargers fans lip service.
It's unclear why the Chargers and Keenan Allen haven't struck a deal
To refresh your memory, Hortiz said back in January that there was "a lot of players" the front office wanted to bring back and that Allen was "on that list". The Chargers have already brought back quite a few players this offseason. Allen is not one of them.
Allen also insisted that this body feels good and that he wants to play next season. This isn't a case where Allen is pondering his NFL future. He seems all in on playing and the Chargers seemed all in on bringing him back. So what's the holdup?
There is no reason to wait to re-sign Allen. Compensatory picks are not part of the equation and the Chargers don't have to wonder if Allen can still fit in this offense like they had to last offseason. If Hortiz was true to his word, a deal would have happened now.
There are three possibilities that could explain the delay. The first could be the Chargers looking to use Allen's lack of leverage against him. The longer the Chargers go without re-signing him, the more they could potentially pressure Allen in taking a cheaper deal.
For better or worse, Hortiz loves to get a good deal in free agency. It would be a shame if an all-time franchise great was treated this way, but it's a possibility.
The Chargers may also be waiting to see what the team gets in the 2026 NFL Draft. There could be a situation in which a wide receiver falls to the Chargers in a spot they never expected, reducing the need to re-sign Allen. But if that's the case, then Hortiz was overplaying how much the team truly wanted him back.
If it's neither of those situations, then it might be McDaniel. The Chargers have gone all-in on McDaniel this offseason, hence why Cole Strange is currently slated to start at guard. If McDaniel doesn't think Allen can produce in his offense, then it could create some hesitation.
Either way, Hortiz's perceived eagerness to bring Allen back now seems like it was pure media talk. That's not to say that Allen won't re-sign with the Chargers eventually, but it's getting harder and harder to fully buy into what Hortiz said back in January.