To say that CJ Allen's start to his NFL career has been underwhelming would probably be a huge understatement. He was tabbed to be the team's next defensive quarterback, but the first returns suggest it might take a while before that's the case.
The second-round pick out of Georgia missed time with calf and hamstring injuries, and he looked extremely raw in his first preseason game. Bad pursuit angles, a slow first step, and overall erratic play raised concerns about his ability to contribute right out of the gate.
That's why he admitted he needed to step up ahead of the start of the season. And while he's still in good spirits and looking to make an impact, he was also pretty blunt about his performance in his first taste of NFL action.
Indianapolis Colts rookie CJ Allen admits he must be better
“I think just overall, just the game, just playing football, I think you always can get better at that. It’s nothing that you can say, ‘Hey, I did (this) perfect.’ Man, it’s always room to improve,” Allen said.
With no first-round pick because of the Sauce Gardner trade, Allen was actually the Colts' first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. If everything went according to plan, he would be out there wearing the green dot in the season opener vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
That's not necessarily on the table anymore. He's only gotten a handful of reps in training camp, and it's become painfully evident that he still has plenty of catching up to do to get up to NFL speed. He will get there eventually — hopefully — but putting that much weight on his shoulder wouldn't only be a catastrophe for the defense but also a disservice to him.
The Colts overhauled their linebacker room in the offseason. The unit struggled mightily in coverage in the first year of the Lou Anarumo era, with Germaine Pratt and Zaire Franklin finding new homes early on in the offseason.
Allen was supposed to be Franklin's air apparent at the MIKE position, but it now looks like Austin Ajiake might have to be a placeholder there, with Akeem Davis-Gaither and fellow rookie Bryce Boettcher by his side.
Of course, that doesn't mean he'll be a bust or that he won't play meaningful snaps once he finally gets a hold of things. He's not to blame for his soft-tissue injuries, and some players just need more time to adjust to the physical demands of the pros.
At least, it's refreshing to know that he's humble and self-aware enough to know that he hasn't done much with his limited opportunities yet, and while Colts fans certainly have reasons for concern, it's still way too early in his career to give up on him.
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