Channeling his inner John Elway, Denver Broncos GM George Paton signed undrafted free agent linebacker Chris Allen in the hopes of striking gold like the former did with Phillip Lindsay.
Allen’s talent is worth a Day 2 or early Day 3 draft pick. But the linebacker suffered two injuries in as many seasons — ending those seasons before they even started.
Allen’s best year, though, came in 2020, when he started 11 games. He totaled 37 tackles, six sacks, 13 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. It’s a no-risk, all-upside signing by Paton. Something like an asymmetrical bet.
Coach Nathaniel Hackett’s eager to see Allen as well, saying, “We’re going to see how he comes along. He’s a very talented athlete, a really good person. For us, it’s about getting him healthy and getting him right first, then as we move forward we’ll be able to see where he fits. He has a lot of stuff that he has to offer this team, and we just have to get him out there so we can evaluate it.”
Allen is still recovering, but he’s learning off the field. Playing at Alabama could help Allen’s transition to the NFL.
“He comes from a good program obviously, where they develop well,” defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said last week. “They expose them to a lot of pro-type of schemes. He’s been good so far and we’re excited, but you get him mentally prepared and all of that stuff but at the end of the day, he has to get healthy.”
Allen will be reuniting with former college teammates Jerry Jeudy and Patrick Surtain in Denver. Check out his highlights below.