Getty Speculation is running wild on Twitter that the Detroit Lions could be a landing spot for a 5-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.
As the adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. That certainly appears to be the case for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Allen attended Game 3 between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers on May 6 with Detroit Lions wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Marvin Jones Jr.
St. Brown posted a picture of the group from a courtside view on Instagram. The picture began to cause a chatter on Twitter the day after the game.
#Lions WRs @MarvinJonesJr and @amonra_stbrown hanging with Keenan Allen
Speculation spread on social media that the picture could mean Allen is interested in joining the Lions via a trade.
@LionsRoyalty @MarvinJonesJr @amonra_stbrown keenan will prolly get traded soon, would be a nice veteran to add to that WR room
@LionsRoyalty @MarvinJonesJr @amonra_stbrown Keenan can come on to “The D” and play with em
@LionsRoyalty @MarvinJonesJr @amonra_stbrown I hope @MarvinJonesJr and @amonra_stbrown recruiting him
How Keenan Allen Could Fit With the Lions
The Lions will be without Jameson Williams to begin the season because of a suspension. Detroit still has a pretty deep receiving core with St. Brown, Jones and Josh Reynolds at the top of the depth chart, but the Lions could still be interested in adding another veteran.
Allen would fit that bill. The 31-year-old has registered 796 receptions for 9,287 yards and 52 touchdowns in 10 season with the Chargers.
From 2017-21, he made five straight Pro Bowls. Allen wasn’t as productive last season, as he missed seven games because of a hamstring injury. But he still posted 66 catches for 752 yards and 4 touchdowns in 10 contests.
Allen wouldn’t have to be the leading receiver in Detroit. He could line up in the slot and help move the chains on shorter passes as St. Brown and Jones run deeper patterns.
Over the past two seasons, Allen has seen his snaps in the slot increase. He played a career-high 431 snaps in the slot during 2021. Then last season, he lined up for a career-high 64.6% of his snaps in the slot.
Could the Chargers Depart With Allen?
As of May 8, to acquire Allen, the Lions would have to trade for him. The Chargers have the 31-year-old under contract through the 2024 season.
But Allen has been rumored as a potential cut candidate this offseason. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper listed the veteran receiver second on a list of the Chargers’ “most likely” cap casualties.
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco, though, tried to put those rumors to rest when he appeared on The Pat McAfee Show in late February.
“Telesco said ‘It ain’t happening” when it was suggested that he trade Keenan Allen to the Patriots,” tweeted ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry.
In an exchange on the @PatMcAfeeShow show, Chargers GM Tom Telesco said “It ain’t happening” when it was suggested that he trade Keenan Allen to the Patriots.
Before free agency, the Chargers restructured Allen’s contract to create $8.9 million in space. That suggests he’s staying put for at least the 2023 season.
But that’s not likely to stop any rumors from spreading due to the photo of Allen with St. Brown and Jones.
“We know St. Brown is not above making a sales pitch to a player on an opposing team who could be moved, and this time around he was on-site and in-person with Allen,” wrote Fansided’s Brad Berreman.
Just this offseason, St. Brown used his podcast with The 33rd Team, which he co-hosts with Chicago Bears wide receiver and brother Equanimeous St. Brown, to try and recruit cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
It wouldn’t be shocking if St. Brown made a similar pitch to Allen during the NBA playoff game. Whether anything will come of it, though, is a different story.