Chargers Daily Links: Keenan Allen ranked 8th best receiver in the NFL

We are so close to the date for NFL players to start reporting to their respective training camps and I couldn’t be more excited. With real, actual football news on the horizon, media outlets are ramping up their offseason content into a crescendo before things really kick off.

Over at ESPN, NFL analyst Jeremy Fowler gathered the thoughts and opinions from various NFL executives, players, and coaches to determine a consensus ranking of the top-10 wide receivers in the NFL.

Rightfully so, the Chargers’ Keenan Allen was squarely in the conversation, settling in at No. 7. He landed just behind the Packers’ Davante Adams and one spot ahead of the Bucs’ Chris Godwin. The highest vote he received was for the second-best receiver in the league while the lowest he was ranked by an individual participant was 10th, so he was never left off the ballot by anybody.

Fowler starts by saying that Allen “isn’t a household name with every fan, but he is inside NFL offices.”

Per one of the NFL execs who part in the vote, his team specifically watches film of Allen to use him as examples of what elite route running looks like.

“Allen is widely known as one of the game’s most refined route runners, helping him become one of four receivers with at least 300 catches and 3,500 yards since 2017. The other three? Nos. 1, 2 and 3 on this list.”

“It doesn’t get any better than him in the slot,” one NFL coordinator said. “He understands every release. He has a plan. Timing is flawless.”

In 2017, Allen became the first receiver in NFL history to record three-straight games of 10+ catches, 100+ yards, and 1+ touchdowns. He did that following back-to-back years with injuries where he missed a total of 24 games.

He’s become the picture of consistency in recent years and the Chargers will need that more than ever this season, regardless of who is throwing him passes.

Now for today’s links.

Chargers News:

Jason Reed thinks Tyrod Taylor is the worst QB in the AFC West (Bolt Beat)

Jason Reed names several current players who could make the Chargers Hall of Fame (Bolt Beat)

Gavino Borquez discusses Keenan Allen’s ranking among the NFL’s best (Chargers Wire)

Daniel Popper wonders where the Chargers will be in 10 years (The Athletic)

NFL News:

John Keim discusses just how close Washington is to choosing a new team name (ESPN)

Jeremy Fowler and a group of NFL execs rank the top-10 wide receivers in the NFL (ESPN+)

Bryan DeArdo lists each NFL franchise’s best player not in the Hall of Fame (CBS Sports)

“OL Masterminds Summit” will proceed as planned this weekend (Pro Football Talk)

Gary Davenport lists every NFL franchise’s biggest mistake of the past decade (Bleacher Report)

Gary Davenport tries to re-do the 2007 NFL Draft (Bleacher Report)