INDIANAPOLIS -- Hype surrounding the Los Angeles Chargers is already nearing a fever pitch. The combination of an energetic, new head coach and the defensive rookie of the year will do that for a team.
But the more we learn about the health of oft-injured star wideout Keenan Allen, the more that hype train could pick up. General manager Tom Telesco said Thursday that Allen is on track in his rehabilitation from a torn ACL that he suffered back on Sept. 11.
"He's on track for where he should be," Telesco said. "He's been in the building rehabbing and he's on track for where he should be with his knee injury right now."
When asked for a specific timetable, Telesco had the following: "Between OTAs and the preseason, that's a pretty big range but yeah, he'll be somewhere in there. We'll have a better feel for him sometime in early or late April as far as a better timetable for where he is. But he's on track for where he should be."
It's hard to argue that there was a more enticing job opening this season, with the Chargers' location being the only momentary drawback. Philip Rivers is 35 but theoretically has three or four good years of football left in him. They have a potential budding star at running back and two star pass rushers on defense. Allen, along with their hot and cold offensive line, are really the only unknown entities.
Over 37 career games, Allen has 221 catches for 2,617 yards and 16 touchdowns. When healthy, he is arguably a top 10 player at the position. Should he remain so, new head coach Anthony Lynn will have his best chance yet to create a balanced offense that complements his next-gen running game.
