Sep 17, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; A detailed view of an Indianapolis Colts helmet on the sideline during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Colts Land Six-Time Pro Bowler In Bold Move To Fix Offense (Report) 1
The Indianapolis Colts opened their 2026 preseason with a 13-13 tie against the New England Patriots on August 13, a game that mostly tested backup quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard while starters watched from the sideline.
Now, with training camp winding down at Grand Park, general manager Chris Ballard has made a move to fix a real need. Six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen has found a new home, and the connection behind the deal traces back more than a decade.
Colts Add Keenan Allen At Wide Receiver
Allen is signing a one-year deal with the Colts worth up to $8.32 million, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The move reunites the 34-year-old with head coach Shane Steichen, who coached him for years as the Chargers’ quarterbacks coach and later their offensive coordinator before taking over in Indianapolis.
Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) leaves the field after defeating the Denver Broncos 23-20 at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesSep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) leaves the field after defeating the Denver Broncos 23-20 at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) leaves the field after defeating the Denver Broncos 23-20 at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The timing lines up well for both sides. Alec Pierce is now the Colts’ clear No. 1 receiver after the team traded Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh in March, and Pierce is currently working back from an offseason ankle injury that has limited him in camp.
Josh Downs holds down the slot, but the room needed a steady, experienced hand behind them. Allen fits that description. Coming off an 81-catch, 777-yard, four-touchdown season with the Chargers in 2025, he still runs precise routes and wins with timing rather than speed.
He also gives Daniel Jones, who is working back from a torn Achilles suffered last December, another reliable target as he eases back into game action.
Keenan Allen’s Long Road Back To This Signing
Allen entered free agency as one of the more accomplished names still on the board. Last season, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions and passed Antonio Gates as the Chargers’ all-time leader in catches. Even so, interest around the league built slowly.
Schultz previously said Allen was “waiting for training camps to open to better assess the landscape” before deciding where to sign. That patience paid off with a landing spot that already knows how to use him.
His Achilles injury recovery will shape how quickly the Colts lean on their new-look passing game once the games start to count.
Indianapolis now heads into the back half of camp with a deeper receiver room behind Pierce and Downs. The next test comes August 22, when the Colts host the Atlanta Falcons in their second preseason game before the regular season opens September 13 at home against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
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