Keenan Allen could be perfect final piece for AFC contender in 2026

The Baltimore Ravens may have a new coaching staff for the first time in almost two decades, but that doesn't mean they are planning on 2026 being a down year. 

In fact, the Ravens still boast one of the most talented rosters in the league. If there's one thing to nitpick on offense, it's that Lamar Jackson could use another reliable veteran receiver. Zay Flowers is solid, but to be a true contender, the Ravens probably need better than Rashod Bateman and Devontez Walker. 

Luckily, there's a veteran who's still on the market who could be a perfect fit. 

Ravens urged to bring Keenan Allen into the fold 

Keenan Allen is now 34, but he's still plenty productive. In 2025 with the Los Angeles Chargers, Allen came down with 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns. Save for the 2016 season that was lost to injury, Allen has never ended a season with fewer than 700 yards. 

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report recently identified a few things each NFL team needs to do before Week 1, and for the Ravens, Sobleski suggested signing Allen. 

"Baltimore also wanted to get bigger and more physical at wide receiver. The organization has never had a problem bringing in aging veterans who can still play," Sobleski said. "For example, Keenan Allen could round out the team's pass-catchers quite nicely."

As Sobleski mentioned, the Ravens have brought in veteran receivers in the past, like Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins, so the precedent is there. It's also worth mentioning that Allen is can probably be expected to play at a higher level in Baltimore than Beckham or Hopkins did. 

Allen has six Pro Bowl selections on his resume and also won the 2017 Comeback Player of the Year Award. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in six different seasons and will go down as one of the better receivers of his generation. 

Will Ravens finally over playoff humps in 2026?

Everybody knows the Ravens have had some bad postseason luck over the last several seasons. Jackson has only been to one conference championship and he's still waiting to play in a Super Bowl for the first time. 

Will this finally be the year? The team didn't make a ton of changes to the roster, with the most notable addition being edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. If the defense can be better than it was in 2025 (much better, actually), then it's not hard to imagine the team going all the way. 

Would a signing like Allen make a difference? It's worth a shot, because the Ravens are one Zay Flowers injury away from having a very questionable receiver room. 

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