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6 hours ago
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The Los Angeles Chargers have been hearing all offseason that the team needs to strengthen the wide receiver position, despite the efforts that have already been made in that area.
There may be a lot of truth to that now, as the team will open training camp without either Tre Harris or Mike Williams. Harris, the team's second-round pick, is holding out for the contract he wants but Williams, a questionable free-agent signing to begin with, will reportedly open camp on the PUP list.
A player can come off the PUP list at any point during training camp, so it's not critical that Williams is on that list... yet. In fact, the Chargers have four other players who will begin camp on that list, including safety Elijah Molden, linebacker Del'Shawn Phillips, defensive lineman Savion Washington and wide receiver Jaylen Johnson.
But let's be honest, this isn't a good look for Williams, a player who has seemed quite fragile for the majority of his career. A former first-round pick of the team, the Chargers signed Williams to a one-year contract this offseason after he failed with the New York Jets last season and then the Pittsburgh Steelers, following a midseason trade.
Why didn't the Chargers pursue Keenan Allen instead?
Allen, a far superior player to Williams, is still looking for a team this offseason. That could be for a variety of reasons, but it's most likely that he is looking for the perfect combination of money and playing for a contender. The Chargers traded him to the Chicago Bears last season and he caught 70 passes for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. Those numbers were lower than what Chargers fans saw Allen post for years with the Chargers, but they are pretty good for a guy playing with a rookie quarterback who was no better than the No. 3 priority in the passing game.
Would Allen entertain a return to L.A.? The team should inquire about it if it hasn't already.
Allen may still have some ill will towards the organization following a trade that may have blindsided him, but it's hard to argue that there is a spot that makes more sense for him right now. Allen is a better player than Williams and should have been the guy the Chargers brought back all along.
Allen is now 33 years old and may no longer be an every-down wide receiver, but he could provide a boost in big spots as a player Justin Herbert is very familiar with and comfortable throwing the ball to.
Allen ranks second in franchise history in both receptions and receiving yards, behind only Antonio Gates. If there is interest in a return on Allen's side, a reunion under a one-year deal makes sense, much more sense than the deal the team gave to Williams, which already looks like a terrible move.
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