Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said that while Jonathan Allen is progressing well from a Lisfranc sprain suffered in October, it would be difficult to get him in football shape with just two weeks remaining.
While Washington Redskins defensive lineman Jonathan Allen was eligible to return from Injured Reserve last week, it is not likely that the team will call on their 2017 first-round pick again this season.
Allen, 22, was placed on Injured Reserve in October with a Lisfranc sprain that he suffered during Washington's 26-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6.
He began to ramp up his rehab efforts late last month with the team's conditioning staff, but bringing him back into the flow for game action with just two games left would be tough off Allen.
"I don't think we're going to do anything with Jonathan," said Redskins head coach Jay Gruden. "I think by the time he gets back out to practice and gets in shape, I think the season will be over. He's in good shape but I think in football shape is a little bit different. We'll probably just get him ready for the OTAs."
In five games during his rookie season, Allen recorded 10 tackles along with one sack. He was selected with the No. 17-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft after appearing in 57 games with the University of Alabama, recording 154 tackles with 28.5 sacks, seven passes defensed and three fumbles forced.
He was a unanimous first-team All-American selection as well.
"I think he was off to a good start, really," Gruden said of Allen's rookie season before it was cut short. "I think his strength at the point of attack was outstanding. His ability to play the run was good. And then we used him in nickel situations also, which he was pushing the pocket extremely well. Sack production didn't really tell the story about how productive he was. I think he played very well."
Per NFL rules, the Redskins are allowed to activate two players off Injured Reserve but Gruden noted that the team is unlikely to return any of the 17 players currently on the list. On Saturday, the team activated kicker Dustin Hopkins from Injured Reserve and waived kicker Nick Rose.
In his first game back against the Arizona Cardinals in a 20-15 victory, Hopkins converted on both of his field goal attempts while three of his five kickoffs were downed for touchbacks.
The Redskins only have two games remaining on the schedule this season, as Washington closes out home action this Sunday against the Denver Broncos at FedExField in Landover, Md., before hitting the road for the season finale to take on the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
