CJ Allen’s Road to Rookie Starter | Indianapolis Colts News

The Colts’ defense got a major overhaul early, trading veteran Zaire Franklin for Colby Wooden and replacing Germaine Pratt with Akeem Davis-Gaither. Rookie CJ Allen, their first-round pick, was expected to take over as starting middle linebacker—but injuries to his calf and hamstring sidelined him through preseason opener. Still, Allen made an impact in the second game against Atlanta, recording three tackles and showing strong run-stopping ability. While he won’t start Week One, he’s laser-focused on proving himself, studying film and rehabbing to earn that starting role down the road. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5fbdeb90cbcd84db