3 takeaways from Colts signing free agent WR Keenan Allen

The Indianapolis Colts have reportedly made a big move at the wide receiver position, signing veteran Keenan Allen. Allen, 34, is about to embark on his 14th NFL season. He is a six-time Pro Bowler and has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark six times in his career, most recently accomplishing that feat in 2023. Last season with the Chargers, he totaled 777 yards with four touchdowns. Here are three takeaways from the addition. Keenan Allen and Shane Steichen's connection Allen entered the NFL with the Chargers in 2013, and Steichen held various roles with that team from 2014 through 2020, which included being the offensive coordinator during that final year. ESPN's Stephen Holder posted on X that Steichen and Allen have been in "constant dialogue" throughout the summer. This familiarity with the system should help Allen hit the ground running. Why did the Colts sign Keenan Allen? The depth at wide receiver has been one of the big question marks surrounding this team all offseason, and that need has been heightened with Alec Pierce's absence. Following Michael Pittman's departure, Ashton Dulin, Laquon Treadwell, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine have been competing for the WR3 role. Dulin seemed to be the front-runner for those snaps, but generally speaking, this trio has dealt with inconsistency in training camp and struggled to get open at times. Allen's presence gives this unit a needed boost. He can step in and be a reliable target right away for Daniel Jones, attacking the short to intermediate levels of the field. Salary cap impact of signing Keenan Allen We do not know the contract specifics at this time, but Jordan Schultz reported that Allen signed a one-year deal worth up to $8.32 million. The cap hit, however, won't be that large, with that figure reported by Schultz including incentives. The Colts have plenty of cap space to work with as well. According to Over the Cap, the Colts had $31.42 million in cap space available before this addition. This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 3 takeaways from Colts signing free agent WR Keenan Allen