Keenan Allen still produces, but his return raises questions about Ladd McConkey’s growth. If Allen is back in 2026, Mike McDaniel must find a way to keep both involved without limiting the offense’s long-term upside.
The Keenan Allen story with the Chargers has already had more twists than anyone expected. After being surprisingly traded to the Bears, Allen found his way back to Los Angeles in 2025, reuniting with Justin Herbert and providing a familiar, steady presence in an offense that badly needed reliability. Now, with Allen publicly stating he plans to be back in 2026, the question isn’t whether he can still play — it’s whether bringing him back is the best move for where this team is headed.
From a pure production standpoint, Allen showed last season that he still has plenty left. He wasn’t the same volume monster he once was in his prime, but he was efficient, dependable on third down and remained one of Herbert’s most trusted targets in critical moments. When the Chargers needed a route run perfectly or a tough catch over the middle, Allen was often the answer. That kind of reliability doesn’t grow on trees.
At the same time, there’s no ignoring the ripple effect his presence had on the rest of the offense — particularly Ladd McConkey. McConkey emerged as one of the more exciting young weapons on the roster during his rookie season, showing the ability to win from the slot, stretch the field and create after the catch. But when combined with Keenan Allen, there were stretches where his usage dipped, and it wasn’t hard to connect the dots. Targets are finite, and Allen’s return naturally siphoned some opportunities away from the younger receiver.
That’s where the dilemma really lies. The Chargers are clearly trying to balance competing timelines: maximizing Herbert’s prime while also developing the next core of offensive weapons. Letting Allen walk would free up touches for McConkey and accelerate his development as a featured option. Bringing Allen back keeps a proven safety net in the offense but risks slowing the evolution of younger playmakers.
This is where Mike McDaniel’s role becomes critical. If Allen returns in 2026 — and all signs point to that happening — the offense can’t simply default to old habits. McDaniel will need to be intentional in how he deploys both receivers. That could mean more pre-snap motion, more creative route combinations and more designed touches that allow McConkey to be featured without phasing Allen out. The goal shouldn’t be choosing one over the other, but making their skill sets complement each other instead of compete.
There’s also the leadership factor that doesn’t show up in the box score. Allen’s influence in the locker room and meeting rooms matters, especially for a team that has underachieved relative to its talent in recent years. Younger receivers benefit from seeing how a veteran prepares, studies defenses and handles adversity. That value is real, even if it’s hard to quantify.
Ultimately, bringing Keenan Allen back makes sense — but only if the Chargers are clear-eyed about what it requires. He can’t be the automatic first read on every key down anymore, and McConkey can’t be relegated to an afterthought. If McDaniel can strike that balance, the Chargers can enjoy the best of both worlds: a trusted veteran presence and a rising star continuing to ascend.