What if we told you Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has a prime chance to kill two birds with one stone? He could simultaneously address a glaring weakness and stick it to the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers by signing veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Kansas City needed wide receiver help before Rashee Rice's 30-day jail sentence and offseason knee surgery. His suddenly murky outlook has only exacerbated the problem. Put two and two together, and Allen, one of the best free-agent options still available, profiles as a logical target.
Yet, the last thing anyone affiliated with the Chargers wants to see is Allen wind up with the Chiefs. Don't just ask us; Los Angeles' top decision-maker, Joe Hortiz, said as much during a recent appearance on Up & Adams.
The "door is not closed" on Allen returning to the Chargers. Hortiz made that clear, adding that he "would not like to see" the 2017 Comeback Player of the Year in a Chiefs jersey.
Chiefs have a golden opportunity to screw over Chargers by signing WR Keenan Allen
It's easy to see why Hortiz dreads Allen joining the Chiefs, considering the latter is one of the most iconic players in Chargers history. However, that's not Veach's problem and should frankly only motivate him more.
Allen, who turned 34 in April, may no longer be the perennial Pro Bowler he once was. He still has some gas left in the tank, though, and the Chiefs can use him. The sentimental value of seeing the longtime Charger trade in the powder blue uniform for a red kit would also sting tremendously.
If you can't beat them, join them, right? Allen is 6-11 in his 17 head-to-head matchups versus Kansas City, and there are certainly far worse landing spots for him. He'd presumably step into a fairly large role and have a chance to compete for a Super Bowl with an all-time great quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
Remarkably, Allen has racked up a full-season stat line against the Chiefs. The lone squad he's had more receptions (103) and receiving yards (1,187) against throughout his 13-year career is another divisional foe: the Las Vegas Raiders.
Even at this stage of his decade-plus-long run in the NFL, Allen remains a solid contributor. He posted a team-high 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns across 17 games for the Chargers in 2025 (excluding the playoffs).
Meanwhile, Hortiz has maintained "some communication with [Allen's] representation."
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