The New Orleans Saints have spent the offseason trying to give Tyler Shough as much help as possible, and the work has already been noticeable. They brought in Travis Etienne Jr., David Edwards and Noah Fant in free agency, then added Jordyn Tyson, Barion Brown, Bryce Lance and Oscar Delp in the draft. Even with all that movement, there’s still a clear opening for more help at wide receiver.
That’s why Daniel Popper of The Athletic pointed to the Saints as the “best possible landing spot” for former Chargers wideout Keenan Allen while sorting through the remaining free-agent receivers. Popper’s case starts with familiar ground: Saints coach Kellen Moore was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2023, the same season Allen turned in one of the strongest years of his career and set the franchise single-season receptions record in just 13 games.
"Keenan Allen. Best landing spot: New Orleans Saints," Popper writes.
"... Saints coach Kellen Moore was the Chargers' offensive coordinator in 2023.
That season, Allen had one of the best years of his career, setting the franchise single-season receptions record in 13 games."
Allen’s 2023 numbers tell the story. He caught 108 passes on 150 targets for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns, and that production earned him his fifth Pro Bowl selection, which remains his most recent.
The fit in New Orleans goes beyond the Moore connection. Popper also noted, "Additionally, the Saints are lacking experience in their receiver room behind No. 1 option Chris Olave."
That matters because the rest of the room is still pretty green. Tyson, Lance, Brown and even Devaughn Vele are young pieces, but none of them really profile as proven veteran answers next to Olave.
Allen would change that quickly. He’d bring a steady, experienced presence to a young group, give the Saints another reliable target for Shough and Moore, and add a layer of depth that the offense could use.
There’s also the age factor. Allen was 33 last season with the Chargers, when he posted 81 catches on 122 targets for 777 yards and four touchdowns.
He’s 34 now, so this wouldn’t be about the future. It would be about raising the floor of the offense right now.
For the Saints, that’s the appeal. A reunion with Moore and a veteran voice in a receiver room that needs one.
In Other News...
Tyler Shough Just Earned The Kind Of Saints Praise Fans Notice
Offseason workouts can be easy to overread, but when a figure with Todd Durkins Saints ties takes notice, it tends to carry some weight. Durkin, who has long trained Drew Brees, has been around enough winning NFL quarterbacks to know what the position looks like when a player is putting in the right kind of work, and his praise for Tyler Shough during New Orleans summer sessions adds another layer to the buzz already building around the rookie.
What stood out in those workouts was not just Shoughs effort, but the way he handled himself with the group around him, a detail the Saints will appreciate as training camp approaches. Brees presence and influence around the sessions only sharpened the spotlight on Shoughs development, and with New Orleans trying to carry late-season momentum into a new year, the quarterbacks next steps are going to matter a lot more than any offseason compliment. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Are Starting To Feel Better About Their QB Future
Tyler Shoughs first NFL season gave Saints fans a reason to breathe a little easier about the quarterback future. Drafted in the second round, he made an immediate imprint with his accuracy and early production, enough to finish runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year after starting nine games and to stand out as one of the most efficient first-year passers in recent memory.
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus did not place Shough among the 10 players facing the most pressure in Year 2, which says plenty about how his trajectory is viewed compared with some of his draft peers. Even so, the next step is still the same one for any young quarterback in New Orleans: keep stacking consistent starts, because the early promise only matters if it turns into something the Saints can trust long term. [Read more 🡒]