Kyle Allen - Pro Football Rumors

Kyle Allen Likely Done For The Year

November 8th, 2020 at 4:20pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Alex Smith is back as Washington’s starting quarterback. Kyle Allen went down with an ankle injury that looked gruesome initially but thankfully turned out to be not quite as serious as it appeared.

Allen has a dislocated ankle with only a small fracture, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). The injury will “likely” sideline him for the rest of the year, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets, although he does have a shot to return. Head coach Ron Rivera confirmed after the game that Smith will be the starter next week, with 2019 first-rounder Dwayne Haskins being bumped up to number two.

Smith lit it up to start the second half and get Washington back into their game against the Giants, but back to back interception on the final two drives sealed their 23-20 loss. Next week against the Lions will be Smith’s first start since his own devastating lower leg injury that he suffered midway through the 2018 season. No matter how he fares moving forward, it’s been a truly remarkable comeback and we’re all rooting for him.

It’s a tough blow for Allen assuming he’s done for the year, as he isn’t likely to get handed a starting opportunity like this again next year. The 2018 UDFA was brought in specifically by Rivera after they spent time together with the Panthers, and he was coming off a great game against the Cowboys when we went down.

Washington Sticking With Kyle Allen As Starter Despite Alex Smith’s Return

October 11th, 2020 at 8:17pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Perhaps the best story of the Week 5 slate was when Alex Smith made his improbable return to the field in relief of an injured Kyle Allen during Washington’s loss to the Rams. Unfortunately for Smith, it looks like he might have to head back to the bench for a bit.

Allen will remain the team’s starter for now if he’s healthy, head coach Ron Rivera said after the game. Allen was cleared by doctors to return on Sunday even though he never did, which would seemingly indicate he’ll be good to go for Week 6. Smith led the team to a field goal right before halftime, but was unable to get anything going in the second half as he was under heavy pressure.

Most importantly it was good to see Smith’s health hold up, especially when he took some big hits from Aaron Donald and co. His final stat line turned out pretty ugly though, as he finished 9/17 for 37 yards while taking six sacks. Despite Washington’s 1-4 start they’re very much in the thick of the abysmal NFC East, especially in the wake of Dak Prescott‘s brutal ankle injury.

Rivera clearly wants to compete for the division, it’s why he benched Dwayne Haskins in the first place, so it’d be somewhat surprising if we don’t see Smith again soon. Allen is a fighter, but his upside isn’t very high and the team’s ceiling is almost certainly higher with a pre-injury Smith if he’s able to return to that form.

Allen was 9/13 for 74 yards with a seven-yard rushing touchdown before a hit from Jalen Ramsey temporarily sidelined him. Washington’s upcoming schedule consists of the Giants, Cowboys, Giants, Lions, Bengals, and Cowboys, so they’ve definitely got some winnable games on the horizon. Meanwhile Haskins has been demoted to third string and is reportedly likely to get traded soon, and with all the drama in this quarterback room it’ll be a very interesting situation to monitor moving forward.

Washington To Trade Dwayne Haskins?

October 11th, 2020 at 9:34am CST by Rory Parks

Although Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins turned in a decent performance against the Ravens last week, head coach Ron Rivera elected to bench the 2019 first-rounder in favor of Kyle Allen. Not only that, Haskins is now the No. 3 QB on the team’s depth chart behind Allen and Alex Smith.

As one might expect, the relationship between Haskins and the WFT coaching staff has turned toxic, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. The staff did not have a hand in drafting the Ohio State product, who was selected by the prior Washington regime, and as the QB3, Haskins will not get much practice time and will be a healthy scratch most weeks.

One of La Canfora’s sources, who has talked with numerous WFT staffers, said, “[w]hat they’ll tell you in that building is that [Haskins] is a project who was drafted by the owner and his son. That’s the bottom line there. Allen is their guy. They think he fits their system. They didn’t really want anything to do with Haskins from the beginning.”

Multiple sources within the organization believe that Haskins will be traded before the November 3 deadline, and those close to the second-year pro have told him that a trade would be the best outcome for him. At this point, it’s hard to argue with that, though it’s unclear who might be interested and what the trade compensation might be.

Because it plays in such a weak division, Washington believes it has a real chance to be a playoff contender this year. As such, Rivera would like to hand the reins to Smith sooner rather than later, as La Canfora details in a separate piece. The fact that Smith is on a football field at all is nothing short of a miracle, but the staff believes that with another couple of weeks of practice, the 36-year-old will be ready to start once again.

Smith has not played since November 18, 2018, the day he suffered the brutal leg injury that nearly cost him his life.

Washington To Bench Dwayne Haskins

October 7th, 2020 at 8:41am CST by Zachary Links

The Washington Football Team is making a quarterback change. Former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins will be benched in favor of Kyle Allen, as Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweet. Furthermore, Haskins will be moved down to No. 3 on the QB depth chart with Alex Smith taking over as the primary backup.

Washington tried to tailor the offense to Haskins’ strengths this offseason while giving him all of the first-string reps in practice. So far, that hasn’t panned out. After their comeback win over the Eagles to start the season, WFT has gone without a W in the last three games.

Haskins, the No. 15 overall pick of the 2019 draft, has been sacked a ton — the offensive line is partially to blame, though Haskins has not been able to locate his open targets quickly, either. Between his three interceptions and one fumble against the Browns, Haskins is coming off of a four-turnover game, one that may change the trajectory of his NFL career. All in all, Haskins has completed just 56.4% of his passes with four touchdowns against three INTs.

Washington is set to play the Ravens this week, presenting Allen with a tough task. But, after that, they have a fairly soft stretch that includes the Rams, Giants (2x), Cowboys, and Lions. Ron Rivera & Co. believe that Allen can take advantage of that stretch and put them on the right track.

Meanwhile, this marks yet another remarkable milestone for Smith, who suffered a gruesome leg injury in November of 2018.The injury was thought to be a potential career ender, especially after Smith contracted sepsis. Now healthy, the 36-year-old could be on the verge of taking his first snap in years.

WFT Could Bench QB Dwayne Haskins

October 4th, 2020 at 9:09am CST by Rory Parks

The Washington Football Team is not pleased with how quarterback Dwayne Haskins has performed through the first three games of the season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the club could bench Haskins if he does not show improvement soon. In fact, Rapoport hears Haskins could be yanked during the club’s game against the Ravens this afternoon.

Haskins was the 15th-overall pick of the 2019 draft, and WFT gave him all the first-team reps in this year’s training camp while tailoring the offense to his strengths. Washington is not talent-rich on the offensive side of the ball, so not all of the club’s struggles fall on Haskins’ shoulders, but Haskins has certainly had his issues.

Thus far, he has taken too many sacks, has not shown much poise in the pocket, and he turned the ball over four times in last week’s loss to the Browns (three interceptions and one fumble). Although WFT did have an exciting comeback win over the Eagles in Week 1, Haskins has completed just 56.4% of his passes and has thrown four TDs against three picks, good for a 75.7 QB rating.

The Ohio State product had just one season as a starter in college, so it would seem strange that a team like Washington that doesn’t have realistic postseason hopes would pull the plug on him before he has even played a season’s worth of games as a pro. But as Rapoport writes, WFT sees the five games after Baltimore as eminently winnable — the team plays the Rams, the Giants twice, the Cowboys, and the Lions — and the coaching staff might believe current backup Kyle Allen is better-suited to win those games.

Allen was with WFT head coach Ron Rivera and OC Scott Turner in Carolina, so he has more experience with the offense. But Haskins definitely has a higher ceiling than Allen, and the team has much more invested in him. It will be interesting to see if Rivera — who was not with Washington when the club selected Haskins — has a quick hook.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Eagles, Haskins

March 31st, 2020 at 10:22am CST by Zachary Links

Barring a major surprise or trade, the NFL Draft should kick off with the Bengals selecting LSU quarterback Joe Burrow at No. 1 overall and the Redskins taking Ohio State defensive end Chase Young with the second pick. Then, at No. 3, many expect the Lions to tap Buckeyes cornerback Jeff Okudah as a replacement for Darius Slay.

When the Giants pick at No. 4, however, things could get interesting. The Giants could be a prime position to trade down and load up in the later rounds. If they stand pat, GM Dave Gettleman could be tempted by one of his beloved “Hog Mollies,” an imposing tackle to help fortify their offensive line.

However, in his latest mock draft, ESPN.com’s Todd McShay predicts that the G-Men will take Clemson outside linebacker Isaiah Simmons. The versatile defender could help slow down the run, put pressure on opposing QBs, and help turn around a defense that allowed more than 28 points per game in 2019.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Further down in the mock draft, McShay anticipates the Cowboys selecting a cornerback at No. 17 to help replace Byron Jones. In this scenario, he has them going with Florida’s C.J. Henderson, a player who is getting more and more buzz for his reported sub-4.4 40-yard-dash time. At No. 21 overall, he has the Eagles taking LSU inside linebacker Patrick Queen, even though many see the Birds targeting wide receivers, including Queen’s teammate Justin Jefferson.
Count ESPN.com’s Tim McManus among those that see PHI going WR. The Eagles watched big-name receivers fly off the board in March, even as Nelson Agholor moved on from the Raiders. With Alshon Jeffery still working his way back from Lisfranc surgery, the Eagles have to at least consider one of this year’s many talented targets. Jefferson is one possibility; Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims, Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk, and Clemson’s Tee Higgins could also be available when the Eagles select at No. 21.
The Redskins haven’t ruled out a return for Alex Smith or a significant role for the newly acquired Kyle Allen. Still, head coach Ron Rivera expects rising sophomore Dwayne Haskins to be the team’s starter in 2020. “That’s what we’re going into camp believing, but they’re going to compete,” Rivera told WFNZ (via Peter King of NBC Sports). “We really like what we have in terms of our young quarterbacks. Kyle is a young guy who has a live arm, understands the game, understands how we do things, so I’m excited about what the potential could be.”

Panthers To Trade QB Kyle Allen To Redskins

March 23rd, 2020 at 1:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hours after agreeing to terms with XFL standout P.J. Walker, the Panthers are unloading a quarterback they just extended. The Panthers have agreed to trade Kyle Allen to the Redskins, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

A 2018 UDFA, Allen was the Panthers’ primary starter last season under Ron Rivera. He signed an extension March 10. Washington will send a fifth-round pick to Carolina for Allen, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This will not only reunite Allen with Rivera, but the Redskins have former Panthers QBs coach Scott Turner on board as offensive coordinator. Turner was on Carolina’s staff for each of Allen’s two seasons with the team.

Allen, 24, will clear a path for Walker to make the Panthers’ roster and fill a Redskins need. With Alex Smith‘s status still uncertain, Washington now has a healthy quarterback set to join Dwayne Haskins. While the Redskins have been linked to Tua Tagovailoa, they are still the frontrunners to draft Chase Young. Washington has also been connected to trade-down maneuvers, with Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert drawing interest from other teams. Allen would stand to be Washington’s QB2 of the moment, and in an offseason that is unlikely to feature any OTAs, the Texas A&M product’s familiarity in Turner’s system will be critical.

Taking over after Cam Newton‘s September re-injury, Allen started strong but faded down the stretch. He ended his season with a 17-16 TD-INT ratio, 3,322 passing yards in 13 games and a 62% completion rate. Walker and Will Grier now stand to be Teddy Bridgewater‘s backups.

Panthers Sign Kyle Allen To Extension

March 10th, 2020 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

Kyle Allen, in all likelihood, wasn’t going anywhere. Now, it’s official. On Tuesday, the Panthers announced a one-year extension for the quarterback.

Allen was slated to become an exclusive rights free agent, which is to say that he wasn’t truly on course for free agency. Instead of exercising their right to keep Allen for another low-cast year, the Panthers have given him a fresh contract, one that might include a small bump in compensation.

Allen, 24, started in 12 games in Cam Newton‘s stead last year. Early on, he looked sharp – the Panthers rattled off four wins in his first four starts. After that, things got bumpy, though the blame couldn’t be entirely placed on his shoulder pads. The Panthers went 1-7 in Allen’s next eight starts as they tumbled out of playoff contention. The youngster finished out the year with 17 touchdowns against 16 interceptions and seven lost fumbles, a stat reflective of their offensive line issues.

Allen, a former UDFA, is slated to hold the clipboard for Newton once again this year. The Panthers reportedly plan to stick with the former MVP as their starter, but nothing is certain at this stage of the offseason.

Panthers To Bench Kyle Allen, Start Will Grier

December 16th, 2019 at 1:28pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It looks like the move that many Panthers fans have been clamoring for might finally happen. The team is expected to bench Kyle Allen and start rookie Will Grier at quarterback in Week 16, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Allen showed well during a Week 17 spot start last year, and did enough in camp to beat out Grier to be Cam Newton‘s backup at the start of the season. Newton was soon sidelined by his foot injury and eventually placed on injured reserve, so Allen has been starting since Week 3. He had some initial success, and the Panthers won each of his first four starts. There was even some talk of Allen potentially starting over a healthy Newton and being Carolina’s quarterback of the future, but after a hot start he faded pretty fast.

He’s been falling apart in recent weeks, throwing ten interceptions over his past five games. Carolina raised some eyebrows by drafting Grier in the third-round back in April, but he’s yet to take a regular season snap. A West Virginia product, there were some analysts during his last year in college who thought he was a first or second round prospect. He slipped a bit as the pre-draft process went on, and ended up going 100th overall.

He’ll now be seeing his first regular season action on the road against the Colts. The Panthers have one of the most interesting offseasons ahead of them of any team, with reports suggesting they might look to move on from Newton this spring. With so much uncertainty at the position, it makes sense why they’d want to take a look at Grier over the final two games.

With this move, Allen’s days as a starter are likely over for the foreseeable future. It was a nice story for a while, and his rapid rise and fall are a good reminder that nothing lasts long in the National Football League. A second-year UDFA from Houston, Allen can be brought back cheaply next year so it’s possible he’ll once again be Carolina’s backup in 2020.

Extra Points: Schobert, Panthers, Chargers

December 9th, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Joe Schobert is having one of his best NFL seasons, but the Browns haven’t reached out about signing the impending free agent. The linebacker told reporters that he hasn’t received any offers from the organization (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com on Twitter).

The former fourth-rounder earned a Pro Bowl nod back in 2017, and he’s followed that up with two additional 100-plus-tackle seasons. That includes the current 2019 campaign, as Schobert has compiled 110 tackles, two sacks, nine passes defended, four interceptions, and a pair of forced fumbles.

If the linebacker were to hit free agency, there would surely be teams lining up for his services. For what it’s worth, Schobert told reporters that in a “perfect world,” he’d be in a Cleveland uniform come 2020.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

Kyle Allen has filled in admirably for Cam Newton, but it doesn’t sound like he has a solid hold on the Panthers starting gig for the rest of the season. Interim head coach Perry Fewell told reporters that the quarterback situation is a “day to day, week to week situation” (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue on Twitter). Even if Allen doesn’t struggle, it makes sense for Carolina to see what they’ve got in rookie third-rounder Will Grier. The West Virginia product hasn’t seen the field this season, while Allen has tossed 16 touchdowns vs. 12 interceptions in his 11 games (11 starts).
Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said it was a “coach’s decision” to send home linebacker Denzel Perryman and safety Roderic Teamer on Saturday, according to Jeff Miller of the LA Times (on Twitter). ESPN’s Eric Williams tweets that the pair missed a morning meeting in Jacksonville, all leading to Lynn’s decision. Perryman has started 11 games this season, while Teamer has appeared in seven games.
Cowboys safety Jeff Heath said he may need shoulder surgery to repair labrum damage (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas News on Twitter). The 28-year-old continues to play through the injury, and Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets that there’s hope Heath can avoid the procedure until the offseason. The safety has started 10 games this season, compiling 45 tackles and five passes defended.