To say that CJ Allen's preseason debut with the Indianapolis Colts was disappointing would probably be an understatement. Fair, it was his first real taste of NFL action, and it was just the preseason, but the tape was far from flattering.
The rookie linebacker struggled to get off blocks, looked sluggish and hesitant, and seemed to be one step behind on every play. To be fair, he missed time in training camp with an injury, so perhaps he just needs to shake off the rust and get his legs back under him.
At least, that's how defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo feels. When asked about Allen's disappointing performance, the veteran coach argued that he just needed more reps to get a hold of the speed of the game.
The Indianapolis Colts remain high on CJ Allen
"The more healthy he gets, the more reps he gets, he's only gonna get better. I think nobody wants to do it more. It means so much to him. ... The more he gets himself ready and healthy, the more he'll play. He'll be just fine," Anarumo said (h/t James Boyd).
To be fair, counting out a player after a mostly meaningless game in Week 2 of the preseason doesn't make sense. Yes, he didn't look good at all, but he still has time to get up to speed, and it's not like all rookies get it together right out of the gate.
There was speculation that Allen would be the green-dot carrier in the middle of the Colts' defense as a rookie. He may not be quite there yet, but he should still have a big role in the second level of the defense, even if he doesn't start in Week 1.
Allen missed time with calf and hamstring injuries, and he's been trying to play catch-up. Of course, suffering two muscle injuries in training camp is also a reason for concern — perhaps even more so than his uneven performance.
He might also be a victim of the circumstances, as fellow rookie linebacker Bryce Boettcher has been a training camp standout and has looked far ahead of schedule in the preseason, even though he seemed to be more raw at first.
Allen's NFL career currently consists of 20 defensive snaps and four tackles. That's too small a sample size to make final assumptions on a young man who hasn't even taken the field for an actual game.
Given the Colts' recent history of failed draft picks on defense, like Jaylahn Tuimoloau, it's easy to be skeptical and second-guess Chris Ballard's judgment. Also, Anarumo runs a complex defensive system that requires a certain type of player to succeed.
But even if Allen failed to live up to the expectations in Week 2 versus the Atlanta Falcons, he just dipped his toes into the game. He just needs more time.
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