The New England Patriots have plenty of positions to address during free agency: edge, wide receiver, offensive line, linebacker, tight end.
It’s not going to be easy to check all of those boxes, though...
If the club intends on putting itself in a position to regularly contend, it will have to put together another near-flawless offseason -- which might just include bringing in another veteran pass-catcher like Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Let's take a look!
Bio:
Keenan Allen
Position: WR
Height: 6’ 2"
Weight: 211lbs
2026 Age: 34 (April 27, 1992)
2025: 18 G, 84 REC, 802 REC YDS, 4 TD
The Patriots should sign Keenan Allen because:
It's clear that he can still get the job done...
Allen has obviously seen his numbers go down over the last couple of seasons, but we're still talking about a guy who has 334 receptions, 3,602 receiving yards, and 22 touchdowns since he turned 30 -- with his worst single-season performance still providing 66/752/4 despite him missing seven games back in 2022.
Allen isn't going to be that game-changing option on the outside -- we've already talked about the guy who can -- but he can certainly still make a difference.
The Patriots made the decision to move on from Stefon Diggs, and in doing so essentially added another need to their list for the offseason. Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas, and Efton Chism III can compete with one another to earn reps out of the slot, but the organization would be better served to bring someone in who has proven he can consistently do that.
HERBERT BREAKS THE SACK AND FINDS KEENAN ALLEN FOR THE TD ⚡️
DENvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/f95wNegDdP
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
The Patriots should not sign Keenan Allen because:
It's time to get younger at the position, not older...
Douglas and Chism should be given every opportunity to win that job outright, and bringing in another veteran who doesn't provide value anywhere else might hamper their development. Drake Maye doesn't need to be throwing to players who are still developing, though.
Best Fits:
1. Los Angeles Chargers
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New England Patriots
If you really want to make this thing happen, it likely would cost you less than it ended up costing to sign Diggs -- though it would be a true one-year deal and there wouldn't be the risk of his salary ballooning moving forward. Allen still wants to play, and the expectation is that he'll only need something similar to the $5 million he made last season in Los Angeles.
More NFL: Patriots Offseason Preview: Everything Team Must Address In 2026