Heading into the offseason, there was hope that an opportunity would open up for the New England Patriots to make a move to land Los Angeles Chargers star receiver Keenan Allen.
The Chargers are currently in salary cap hell, and on paper, it makes sense for them to clear Allen off the books and roll with Mike Williams as their true No. 1 option.
Enter the Patriots, a receiver-needy team that would benefit greatly from having a player like Allen on their roster.
But unfortunately for New England, the veteran five-time Pro Bowler doesn’t appear to be on the move, at all, according to Chargers general manager Tom Telesco, during an appearance on “Good Morning Football.”
.@chargers GM Tom Telesco on @gmfb @nflnetwork on if there's any possibility of moving on from WR Keenan Allen: "Keenan Allen, he's our Andre Reed. He's our Charlie Joiner. There's no thought of that. We're thrilled w/ Keenan."
— Will Selva (@WillSelvaTV) March 1, 2023
The Patriots’ options on the trade market are dwindling.
Denver Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy could be an option, but there are no certainties that newly-hired coach Sean Payton would even consider moving the team’s top receiving target.
Meanwhile, it could prove costly for the team to go after Arizona Cardinals All-Pro talent DeAndre Hopkins. If New England doesn’t land a receiver through a trade or free agency, they might consider using one of their premium picks at the position in this year’s NFL draft.
With Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor both potentially leaving the Patriots in free agency, coach Bill Belichick is going to have to make a tough decision that could have a profound impact on the team’s ability to compete in 2023.