Did Patriots Pursue Keenan Allen? Star Receiver Reveals Market

Calvin Ridley turned down the Patriots, who never had a chance to pursue Mike Evans. But there recently was another opportunity for New England to go after another star wide receiver.

The Chargers entered the NFL offseason with an unfavorable salary cap situation, which forced Los Angeles to make tough decisions on a few of its best but high-priced players. Mike Williams was released, while fellow wideout Keenan Allen was put on the trade block.

Allen was ultimately dealt to Chicago, where on Saturday he revealed the Bolts allowed him to ask around the league to pursue a trade.

"There were a couple teams that they would allow me, I guess, to say where I wanted to go," Allen told reporters, per ESPN. "I only had like two teams."

The Patriots, despite their glaring need for a legitimate No. 1 wideout, weren't one of those teams. Allen revealed the New York Jets and the Houston Texans as the pair of clubs that expressed interest in his services.

Allen is entering the final season of a four-year, $80 million contract, so perhaps the Patriots weren't keen on pursuing a rental who turns 32 next month and has a fairly concerning injury history. Still, a receiver with Allen's talent, productivity and experience could have been very beneficial to a rookie quarterback. And there seemingly is a good chance New England rolls with a first-year player behind center in 2024.

So, the Patriots' receiving corps still needs some help. But the group reportedly is set to add a veteran who could have a pretty big role in New England.