The Chargers veteran is back. When Mike Williams suddenly announced his retirement, the hope for the franchise’s reunion with the wide receiver was reignited. He spent nearly 11 years with the franchise before leaving for the Chicago Bears. And much to fans’ relief, he is returning home. Keenan Allen has agreed to sign a one-year, $8.52 million deal with Jim Harbaugh‘s Chargers, as reported by NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. One man has been manifesting this for quite a while. And he doubled down on his favorite strategy for a team’s success.

“I think you probably know my feelings on that pretty much came back from when I first took the job. Competitors welcome at the Los Angeles Chargers, and the interest has always, always been on Keenan,” he said during the presser. When asked when the six-time Pro Bowl player would get back in action, he shared, “Joe Hortiz and Keenan’s representation, we probably have a better idea of that.” Although Allen may not be the same deep threat that Williams was, he’s expected to fill a significant void for the Chargers, whose wide receiver room remains relatively thin. It’s going to be an interesting ride.

The Chargers’ interest in bringing back Keenan Allen is very real. And just as he said, it has been for some time. Jim Harbaugh isn’t the only one with a desire to have the veteran back with the Chargers. The fandom had the same demand. Allen is just 1,312 yards away from surpassing Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates’s franchise record for receiving yards.

However, there is an issue. Rookie Ladd McConkey has emerged as a strong slot presence, the very role Allen has excelled in. While the overlap raises questions, the teams believe that they will find a solution to this. “We’ve had plenty of experience throwing him the ball, and he’s made countless plays for the Chargers. We know how many big plays he’s come up with, but that’d be, probably be a better question for the people upstairs,” QB Justin Herbert said.

Herbert and Allen share great chemistry on the field, having 376 completions, 4,088 yards, and 25 touchdowns. The decision to bring Allen to the team was also to take the pressure off rookies Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. His return would give L.A. a polished trio in Allen, McConkey, and Quentin Johnston. Still, despite the mutual interest and fit, there was one major hurdle that the team overcame.

The issue Jim Harbaugh and Keenan Allen are facing

After Allen’s recent visit to the Chargers’ facility, it was almost decided that the deal was already inked. But as per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, there was one problem, and it’s not chemistry, fit, or even age. It’s money. “Strong feelings between Allen and the organization are still there. It’s just a question of is Allen going to take it. He’s a proud guy, he’s made a lot of plays. He is getting up in years but still wants the kind of money that he has basically earned over the course of his career,” Rapoport said.

Allen was previously playing under an $80 million extension that carried a cap hit of over $10 million for five consecutive seasons. But the Chargers, operating under a tight budget and a youth movement, are only willing to go so far.

Allen is still productive with his 744 yards and 7 touchdowns last season, but he’s no longer the clear-cut WR1. The Chargers know Allen would be a helpful veteran presence, a steadying force for Herbert and a mentor for the young guns. But they’re also aware that he’s not drawing heavy interest elsewhere. Finally, here we are.

While there are other troubles, the team seems to have found a pace. The reunion makes sense on paper. The locker room would welcome him. The fit is natural as both sides see eye to eye. It remains to be seen how the team handles it.