Head coach Brandon Staley spoke about how wide receiver Keenan Allen has been performing at training camp so far.
“He’s been so consistent. I think for Kellen (Moore), who’s worked with a lot of good guys, he’s that guy that you know is gonna be able to get open no matter what the situation. He’s been a great mentor for the young receivers. He’s still making plays at a high level, he’s still able to get the separation.”‘
None of what Staley said should come as a surprise considering how well Allen’s game and route-running prowess have aged as he enters his 11th NFL season. What was interesting to hear from Staley though were his thoughts on Allen’s usage situationally.
You guys know what a big threat he is on 3rd down, but I think on early downs we’re trying to get him going a little more than he has been in years past.
For reference, Allen’s third-down production relative to first and second down was decently higher under former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi relative to the rest of his career. Comparing it to the year he had under former OC Shane Steichen yielded interesting results:
I thought this was an interesting quote so I dug a bit.
Keenan Allen's % of yards picked up on 3rd + 4th down:
2020: 35.6%
2021: 42.7%
2022: 38.6%Averaging 2022 + 2021 to 40.7%, Allen's yardage on $ downs compared to 1st + 2nd ticked up 5.1% from Steichen to Lombardi. https://t.co/J1ZpIKf434
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) July 29, 2023
Perhaps a 5.1% uptick in Allen’s production on money downs doesn’t sound terribly significant, but keep in mind that the Chargers led the league in third down attempts in 2022. Becoming more predictable on third down while simultaneously facing most of those situations in the league isn’t sustainable.
Using Allen more regularly on early downs while mixing in more of Mike Williams or Quentin Johnston on later downs could make the offense a lot more versatile. Moore having Williams working out of the slot to seek out mismatches could play into exactly what Staley’s said about Allen’s usage.
When asked about who the third receiver was on the roster last week, Moore replied that the Chargers have “four starters” in this league, referring to Allen, Williams, Johnston, and Joshua Palmer. Considering what we’ve seen in camp so far and heard from the coaches, that statement seems to be indicative of the Chargers wanting to be multiple in their approach instead of overly relying on Allen to bail them out on money downs.