Broncos Rookie OLB Chris Allen Comes Off NFI List, Returns to Practice
Presumably recovered from the injury that sapped his final collegiate campaign, Denver Broncos rookie outside linebacker Christopher Allen passed his physical and was removed from the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list Friday.
According to on-site media, Allen made his practice debut on Day 3 of training camp at the UC Health Training Center.
Allen is a 6-foot-3, 241-pound Alabama product who was sidelined much of last season with a fractured foot. He also missed the entire 2018 season due to a knee issue. The injury jacket flatlined his once-hyped stock, and Denver was able to sign him as an undrafted free agent — guaranteeing $180,000 — following the 2022 NFL draft.
An effective edge rusher when healthy, Allen logged 34 solo tackles, 18.5 tackles-for-loss, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles for the Crimson Tide, earning 2020 second-team All-SEC honors. Bleacher Report draft scout Derrik Klassen compared the 24-year-old (in August) to former Browns second-round LB Nate Orchard.
"In a general sense, Allen is a fit for the modern NFL," Klassen noted. "He can play on the edge as a stand-up backer, attune to handling run defense responsibilities from there, and he can pin his ears back and rush the passer a little. However, Allen has no real standout trait, and his lack of weight and strength could become more of a problem in the NFL than it was at Alabama. Allen projects as a reliable, versatile backup or rotational player in a 3-4 structure."
Free from mothballs, Allen will fight for a backend spot on Denver's 53-man roster (or 16-player practice squad) when it's finalized in September, attempting to carve out a reserve/special teams role behind OLBs Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory, Malik Reed, Jonathon Cooper, and Baron Browning.
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