Colts add depth at wide receiving by signing Keenan Allen to a 1-year deal, AP source says

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Keenan Allen is getting another chance to extend his NFL career.

The Indianapolis Colts added depth to their receiving corps by signing the 34-year-old receiver to a one-year contract worth up to $8.32 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because team officials had not announced the deal.

Allen is a six-time Pro Bowler who caught at least 100 passes in a season five times, won the NFL's 2017 Comeback Player of the Year Award and is the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers' career leader with 985 receptions in 12 seasons with the team.

He also worked with Colts coach Shane Steichen for seven seasons when they were with the Chargers. Steichen was the offensive quality control coach from 2014-15, quarterbacks coach from 2016-19, interim offensive coordinator in 2019 and then had the interim tag dropped in 2020.

Allen's addition could ease some of the concerns about depth in a receiving group that has not had Alec Pierce on the practice field since he signed a four-year, $114 million contract extension in March. He had surgery on his injured left ankle after signing the deal.

General manager Chris Ballard said he expected Pierce to be out a week or two when training camp opened July 29. Pierce has started to do more individual work at camp.

The Colts took Monday off and had no availability Tuesday. They will spend their final two camp days at Grand Park Sports Campus in the Indianapolis suburbs working against the Atlanta Falcons in joint practices Wednesday and Thursday. It's unclear if Pierce will be on the field for those workouts.

“He's doing good, he's working hard,” assistant general manager Ed Dodds said before Sunday's practice. “I'm not concerned about Alec.”

Pierce became one of quarterback Daniel Jones' favorite targets last season when he led all NFL qualifiers in yards per catch (21.3) for the second straight year. He had 47 receptions and 1,003 yards, both career bests, while following a seven-touchdown season in 2024 with six in 2025. He became the Colts' No. 1 receiver when they traded Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh.

Josh Downs is expected to be the No. 2 option for Jones. The 5-foot-9, 171-pound receiver has been productive out of the slot in his first three seasons, catching 198 passes for 2,140 yards and 11 TDs. He posted career lows last year with 58 catches and 566 yards.

Allen could be the No. 3 pass catcher after an 81-catch, 777-yard season in 2025, when he returned to the Chargers after one season with the Chicago Bears. The former California star also caught four TD passes last year.

Though he missed all but one half of one game in the 2016 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Allen ranks 13th in league history in career receptions (1,055 receptions), 33rd all-time in career yards (12,051) and 52nd in career TD catches (70). He begins this season needing 16 catches to pass Colts receivers coach Reggie Wayne.

Indy also signed veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, an Indianapolis prep star who played at Indiana University, in free agency and has veterans Ashton Dulin, Anthony Gould and Laquon Treadwell on the roster. Treadwell was Minnesota's first-round pick in 2016.

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