Tag: Christopher Allen

Christopher Allen’s disappointing tenure with Broncos comes to an end

The Broncos reached an injury settlement with OLB Christopher Allen, releasing him from IR and making him a free agent.

Christopher Allen’s time with the Denver Broncos is over, marking the end of a disappointing tenure with the team.

When the Broncos signed Allen as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama last year, we viewed him as a player with the potential to emerge as a UDFA gem in the NFL.

His rookie season was derailed by a lingering foot injury that he suffered in college. Denver placed Allen on injured reserve before last year’s 53-man roster was set, ruling him out for the entire 2022 season.

There was optimism this summer that a now-healthy Allen could realize his potential and make the active roster as a rotational pass rusher. The outside linebacker was buried on the depth chart, though, even below 2023 undrafted free agents Thomas Incoom and Marcus Haynes.

Incoom ended up making the 53-man roster and Haynes made the 17-player practice squad. Allen ended up on IR again, this time with a minor groin injury.

Had the Broncos left Allen on IR, he would have been ruled out for the entire 2023 season. Instead, Denver reached an injury settlement with Allen on Monday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Following that settlement, Allen was released and he is now a free agent.

If he can stay healthy, Allen might be able to salvage his pro career if given another opportunity elsewhere, but his time with the Broncos has come to an end.

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8 Broncos players begin 2023 season on injured reserve

The Broncos have eight players on injured reserve going into Week 1. Three of them are eligible to return after four games.

After setting their 53-man roster and 17-player practice squad, the Denver Broncos are now set to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1.

In addition to the 70 players on the active roster and practice squad, the Broncos also have eight players on injured reserve, three of whom will be eligible to return to the team later this year.

Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick (Achilles), inside linebacker Jonas Griffith (ACL), receiver Jalen Virgil (meniscus) and defensive lineman Forrest Merrill (undisclosed) are all out for the entire season.

Outside linebacker Christopher Allen (groin) also reverted to injured reserve after being waived with an injury designation and clearing waivers. Unless he reaches an injury settlement with the team, Allen will be out for the year.

Denver safety P.J. Locke (leg), offensive tackle Alex Palczewski (hand) and cornerback K’Waun Williams (ankle) all went on IR after the initial 53-man roster was set, which means they can return after four games. 

Here’s a quick look at the team’s players on IR going into Week 1.

Broncos roster series: No. 45, ILB Christopher Allen

After missing his rookie season on IR with a foot injury, pass rusher Christopher Allen will aim to impress at Broncos camp this summer.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at second-year outside linebacker Christopher Allen, No. 45. (During the offseason, more than one player can wear the same number if they play on different sides of the ball. Allen wears No. 45 on defense.)

Before the Broncos: Allen (6-4, 242 pounds) battled through injuries at Alabama, but he was part of a defense that won a pair of national championships during his time at the school. In his only fully-healthy season in 2020, Allen totaled 37 tackles (13 behind the line), six sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 11 games. After earning second-team All-SEC honors in 2020, Allene broke his foot in the 2021 season opener and missed the rest of his senior season.

Broncos tenure: Denver signed Allen as an undrafted free agent in 2022. The Broncos essentially gave Allen a “redshirt” rookie season by placing him on injured reserve before setting the 53-man roster, ruling him out for the entire year.

Chance to make the 53-man roster: Denver has a crowded OLB depth chart, so Allen certainly won’t be a favorite to make the active roster. If he is healthy, though, Allen could impress this summer. The young pass rusher might end up on the practice squad in 2023.

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Broncos’ updated OLB depth chart after the NFL draft

The Broncos have two clear starters in Baron Browning and Randy Gregory at OLB with several intriguing young players behind them.

OLB1 OLB2 Depth ST
Baron Browning Randy Gregory Jake Martin Aaron Patrick
Jonathon Cooper Nik Bonitto Christopher Allen Thomas Incoom
Marcus Haynes

After not selecting a pass rusher in the 2023 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos’ outside linebacker depth chart only features a few additions since April.

Leading the way as the team’s starting edge defenders are Baron Browning and Randy Gregory, who will aim to stay healthy this season and live up to their potential. Behind them are Jonathon Cooper, a nine-game starter as an injury fill-in last year, and Nik Bonitto, who will look to take a step forward in 2023 after an underwhelming rookie season.

After those top four OLBs, things get a little interesting. Jake Martin has totaled 16 sacks in 74 games (16 starts) with four teams over the last five years. Unless he’s cut to save salary cap space ($3.8 million), Martin figures to be part of the pass-rush rotation in 2023.

Update: Martin was released on Wednesday.

Christopher Allen missed all of his rookie season in 2022 on injured reserve with a foot injury, but he was one of the team’s top undrafted free agent signings last year and could be a sleeper to watch for this summer.

Aaron Patrick was a key special teams player for Denver before he tore his ACL last year. If he fully recovers from that knee injury, he should have a decent chance to make the team once again as an ST contributor.

Thomas Incoom and Marcus Haynes are among the team’s UDFA signings this year. They will likely be competing for spots on the practice squad.

The Broncos carried six OLBs on their initial 53-man roster in 2022.

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Broncos’ winners and losers following 2023 NFL draft

Whose stock is up and whose stock is down for the Broncos following the NFL draft?

The Denver Broncos came away from the 2023 NFL draft with five new rookies, plus a veteran tight end acquired via a trade with the New Orleans Saints.

The Broncos will now fill their 90-man offseason roster by signing undrafted free agents, and Denver might consider one or two budget veteran free agents who are still available as well.

When it’s all sorted out, the Broncos will go into organized team activities with a full roster later this month and then return for a minicamp in June. Players will then get a break until training camp begins in late July.

There are likely a few tweaks still to come, but Denver’s offseason roster appears to be mostly set. With that in mind, here are the team’s winners (risers) and losers (fallers) following the 2023 NFL draft.

Broncos OLB Christopher Allen will miss entire rookie season on IR

Alabama’s Christopher Allen (foot) will be sidelined for his first season with the Broncos.

When the Denver Broncos signed two running backs on Wednesday, the team had to make two corresponding moves to make room for the new RBs on the 90-man offseason roster.

One of the moves the team made was placing outside linebacker Christopher Allen (foot) on injured reserve. Because he was placed on IR before the initial 53-man roster was set, Allen will not be eligible to return to the active roster this year. His rookie season is over before it started.

Allen was a promising pass-rush prospect at Alabama, with NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein even projecting him as a fourth-round pick in the draft. Two injuries derailed his draft stock, though, and Allen ended up going undrafted in April and later signed with Denver as a college free agent.

Allen is still recovering from a broken foot that he suffered as a senior. Shutting him down for the entire 2022 season will (ideally) allow Allen to fully recover and return to the team ready to compete in 2023.

In the meantime, the Broncos still have a very crowded outside linebacker room headlined by Randy Gregory, Bradley Chubb, Nik Bonitto, Baron Browning and Malik Reed. Denver also has a promising young rotational rusher in Jonathon Cooper and special teams ace Aaron Patrick.

Allen missing the entire season is an unfortunate development, but it will make the Broncos’ decisions at OLB a little easier when roster cuts begin next week.

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Broncos add two running backs to roster

With Melvin Gordon (foot) sidelined and Tyreik McAllister (foot) waived/injured, the Broncos brought in RBs JaQuan Hardy and Stevie Scott III.

The Denver Broncos have added two running backs to the 90-man offseason roster, the team announced Wednesday.

Denver brought in JaQuan Hardy and Stevie Scott III to add more depth at the position with Melvin Gordon injured.

“We’re just taking care of his foot, and we’re making sure he’s good,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said of Gordon on Wednesday. “He’s another one of those older guys. We want to make sure he’s primed and ready for the season.”

Hardy (5-8, 211 pounds) entered the league as a college free agent out of Tiffin University with the Dallas Cowboys last year. He spent most of the 2021 season on the Cowboys’ practice squad, but he did appear in three games, rushing four times for 29 yards.

Scott (6-2, 231 pounds) is considered a first-year player, but he spent time with the New Orleans Saints and Broncos last summer. After joining the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana, Scott was later cut and signed with Denver during preseason but was cut just one week later. He now returns to the Broncos hoping for a longer tenure this time.

To make room for Hardy and Scott on the roster, Denver waived/injured running back Tyreik McAllister (foot) and placed outside linebacker Christopher Allen (foot) on injured reserve.

Gordon seems unlikely to play in the team’s first preseason game on Saturday, and if Javonte Williams plays, he would likely only have a brief appearance.

With Gordon sidelined, Williams unlikely to play (at least not much) and McAllister out for the year, the Broncos’ remaining running backs set to face the Cowboys are Mike Boone, Max Borghi, Hardy and Scott.

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Here are the jersey numbers for Broncos’ UDFAs

Broncos LB Kana’i Mauga wears No. 43 and OLB Christopher Allen wears No. 45. See all the UDFA numbers here.

We already know the jersey numbers for the Denver Broncos’ key offseason additions, and we know the numbers for the team’s draft class.

How about the undrafted free agents? They don’t get the same hype, but Denver’s UDFAs have received their jersey numbers as well. Check it out:

WR Kaden Davis: 13
WR Jalen Virgil: 17
CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 35
WR Brandon Johnson: 36
RB Tyreik McAllister: 39
LB Kana’i Mauga: 43
OLB Christopher Allen: 45
LB Kadofi Wright: 46
TE Dylan Parham: 48
OL Michael Niese: 67
OL Sebastian Gutierrez: 70
TE Rodney Williams: 86

Keep in mind these numbers are subject to change, particularly after the Broncos finalize a 53-man roster later this summer.

Denver has retired three numbers: No. 7 for John Elway, No. 44 for Floyd Little and No. 18 for Frank Tripucka (Peyton Manning was given special permission to wear the number from 2012-2015).

The Broncos also have three other numbers that aren’t officially retired but they haven’t given them to new players this year: No. 88 of late receiver Demaryius Thomas, No. 58 of Von Miller and No. 24 of Champ Bailey.

Bailey gave Adam Jones permission to wear No. 24 in 2018, but it otherwise hasn’t been worn (in the regular season) since Bailey’s last season in Denver in 2013. The Broncos stopped making No. 88 available this offseason following Thomas’ death in December, and nobody in Denver has worn No. 58 since Miller was traded last year.

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Broncos announce undrafted free agent signings: Meet the 13 players

The Broncos have signed 13 undrafted free agents. Learn more about each player here.

After selecting nine players in the 2022 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos then signed 13 college free agents to round out their roster for the summer.

The Broncos announced those 13 undrafted free agents on Thursday, officially confirming the signings. Here’s a quick look at each of the team’s new UDFAs.

Two Alabama players listed as UDFAs likely to make their respective NFL teams’ rosters

See where these two undrafted Alabama players are expected to make the roster!

The NFL draft unfortunately didn’t go as planned for both Alabama DT [autotag]LaBryan Ray[/autotag] and EDGE [autotag]Christopher Allen[/autotag] as neither heard their names announced during the three day event in Las Vegas. However, the good news for these two is that over 30% of the NFL is un-drafted free agents.

The 33rd Team, which is a website ran by Mike Tannenbaum and Joe Banner, published an article discussing which un-drafted player from each of the 32 NFL teams is most likely to make their respective team. Tannenbaum is the former GM of the New York Jets and Banner was formerly the Philadelphia Eagles President and Cleveland Browns CEO, so it is safe to say that these two are about as credible as it gets.

The New England Patriots chose Ray due to the Patriots high rotation in defensive linemen and a need for depth. It is also well known that Nick Saban and Bill Belichick have a great relationship and he trusts the players coming out of Tuscaloosa.

As for the Denver Broncos they went with Allen as they have a need for a rusher coming off the edge. The Broncos did sign Randy Gregory from the Cowboys as well as using a second round pick on the position, but when trying to replace a guy like Von Miller it is important to have all options available.

For both of these Alabama guys to be recognized by such reputable members of the media should speak volumes.

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