RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. With Daniel Jones still working his way back from a torn Achilles and Michael Pittman Jr. now a Steeler, the Indianapolis Colts may need to lean on their defense even more in 2026.
One player expected to step in right away and help on that side of the ball is second-round rookie linebacker CJ Allen, who the Colts selected 53rd overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Indianapolis lost several key defensive pieces this offseason, including All-Pro linebacker Zaire Franklin, Pro Bowl cornerback Kenny Moore, edge rusher Kwity Paye, linebacker Samson Ebukam, and safety Nick Cross. Allen was brought in as one of the new pieces to help replace those losses, but he was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list at the start of training camp with a muscle strain.
However, after missing the first few days of practice, the Colts removed him from the PUP list ahead of Friday's session, with the franchise's top draft pick now fully cleared to begin training with the team.
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Allen spent his entire three-year college career with the Georgia Bulldogs, becoming yet another one of Kirby Smart's highly touted defenders to make the jump to the NFL. In his final junior season, Allen earned first-team All-SEC and first-team All-American honors after recording 88 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery across 13 games.
At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Allen entered the draft as one of the top-rated linebackers in the 2026 class and even drew comparisons to former Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin. Now he has a chance to fill that void and establish himself as one of the best young defenders in the NFL. Allen is expected to slot into the starting Mike linebacker role and make an immediate impact from Day 1.
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