The Miami Dolphins are lacking a veteran wide receiver entering the 2026 season and there’s one free agent who could fill that void.
Grant Gordon of NFL.com wrote a column detailing the best team fits for the top free agents on the market. Keenan Allen, who was a six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with the Los Angeles Chargers, is mentioned on the list. While Gordon considers the Chargers to be Allen’s “best fit,” he also mentions the Dolphins as another fit.
Allen returned to the Chargers last season after spending the 2024 season with the Chicago Bears and was actually one of their more productive wideouts, ending the year with 81 catches for 777 yards in his age-33 season.
“General manager Joe Hortiz has never shut the door on Allen returning (again). In his 2025 return to L.A. after a one-year Chicago hiatus, Allen had a team-high 81 receptions for 777 yards,” wrote Gordon. “This would be a feel-good homecoming (again) for the 34-year-old potential Hall of Famer. He has great chemistry with Justin Herbert and is a franchise legend, but does he fit in Mike McDaniel’s scheme?”
Why Dolphins Should Sign Keenan Allen
Allen — along with Stefon Diggs — is the top wide receiver on the free agent market. Over the course of his 13-season career, Allen has produced 1,055 catches for 12,051 yards and 70 touchdowns. Over that time frame, he has compiled six 1,000-yard seasons and ranks second in catches and fifth in receiving yards since 2013.
On the other hand, the Dolphins probably have the least proven wide receiver corps in the NFL. They’ll enter the 2026 season with Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell as their top receivers. For perspective, Washington will likely be the No. 1 wideout and he’s never been a full-time starting receiver. Washington posted 46 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns last season. In his two-year career, Washington has started just nine games.
Meanwhile, Tolbert and Atwell are entering their first seasons in Miami after spending most of their careers as secondary pass catchers. Tolbert posted just 18 catches for 203 receiving yards and one touchdown while working behind starting receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in Dallas. Atwell was a reserve receiver with the Los Angeles Rams over the past few years, posting six receptions for 192 receiving yards and one touchdown last season.
Dolphins Have No Rumored Interest in Keenan Allen
The Dolphins went through a major overhaul through all levels of the organization and will feature Malik Willis as the starting quarterback this season. Willis himself has never been a full-time starting quarterback, starting just six games in his four-year NFL career.
There has been no rumored interest in Allen from Miami’s part as they appear content (for the time being) with their young receiving core. But considering the Dolphins have the least proven offensive starting unit in the league, it would only help Willis and the younger receivers to add a veteran weapon such as Allen to the mix.
The Dolphins opened training camp last season and won’t play their first preseason game until Aug. 14. But if the offense comes out slow, Miami could soon be looking at the free agency list for a veteran wide receiver like Allen.
Dolphins Mentioned as ‘Best Fit’ for 6-Time Pro Bowl Wide Receiver