The Colts’ first pick of the draft was on the active roster Sunday, but CJ Allen never got on the field in a 41-23 loss to the Ravens.
That meant the Georgia linebacker went through the entire game without a snap on defense or special teams, a rare situation for an active player. The only other Colts player in that category was backup quarterback Anthony Richardson.
It’s not where Indianapolis expected to be when it took Allen with its top selection this year. The team had envisioned him moving into the starting lineup right away, but that plan has been slowed by a rough start to his rookie season.
Head coach Shane Steichen said Allen is still working his way back after being limited by injuries in camp.
“We’ll get him going,” Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen said. “He was banged up in camp, we’re getting him back into that football shape, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
The Colts had also pointed toward a linebacker rotation, and Sunday’s usage reflected that. Akeem Davis-Gaither started and led the team with eight tackles, Jaylon Carlies started as well but did not record a statistic, and rookie Bryce Boettcher added six tackles.
Allen’s summer never really got on track. He missed the first two days of training camp because of a calf injury suffered while training in the offseason, then returned gradually before pulling a hamstring and missing most of the next two weeks. That left him with limited time in the defense during camp.
At the end of camp, general manager Chris Ballard made clear Allen was still catching up.
“He's got a high level of care factor, and he's got a standard of how he expects to play,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said at the end of camp. “He knows it hadn't quite been there yet, and like I told him, I said, ‘Dude, when you haven't practiced, that's hard.’ And he will do everything he can to get caught back up.”
For now, Allen is still trying to close that gap.
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Colts Suddenly Have A Backup QB Problem At The Worst Time
Anthony Richardson Sr. was nowhere near full participation when the Colts opened practice Wednesday, standing off to the side in no pads and simply watching drills unfold. For a team trying to keep its quarterback room steady, it was a notable update on a player whose availability has already been a major storyline because of his injury history, including the fractured orbital bone that cut short his previous season.
Rookie Riley Leonard is the likely next man up if Richardson cannot go, which would push the Colts into a backup plan they probably would prefer not to use this late in the week. It is the kind of depth-chart wrinkle that can linger over a game plan fast, especially when the team is already weighing every detail around its quarterback situation. [Read more 🡒]
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Police said they first noticed Allens vehicle in a no-parking zone and observed signs of intoxication before the arrest, and the Colts have since said they are supporting the receiver while also confirming he has faced internal discipline. For a roster that added him with clear on-field expectations, the unsettled part is no longer whether the team needs him, but how long this situation will linger and what it means for the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]
DeMeco Ryans Just Put Houstons Defense On Notice
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Around the division, there are similar reminders that September can expose a lot. Jaguars receiver Parker Washington still produced while questions lingered around his contract situation, earning praise from Trevor Lawrence for how he handled it, and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans pointed to both progress and the need for cleaner coverage after Houstons loss to the Bills. For the Colts, the bigger takeaway is simple enough: the margin for settling in is already shrinking. [Read more 🡒]