Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo explains why 2nd-round pick LB CJ Allen isn't playing

C.J. Allen‘s struggle to get on the field is a product of the specific linebacker position the Colts see him in and his spot on the depth chart, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo told reporters Tuesday.

Allen, taken 53rd-overall in April’s draft, logged his second snapless game of his short NFL career in the Colts‘ 30-13 win in London. Perhaps even more surprising, though, Anarumo rotated four linebackers throughout the game, with fourth-year journeyman Austin Ajiake seeing his first time at the position this season.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard declared Allen a starter and the defense’s play-caller “from the get-go” after the draft. Now, Allen appears to be No. 5 on the depth chart among the team’s six linebackers, ahead of only rookie undrafted free agent Tahj Chambers, who’s logged 93 special teams snaps.

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Anarumo, however, explained Tuesday that the math is more complicated than that. The Colts view Ajiake as a dime linebacker who would play primarily on clear passing downs – and there were several with the Colts leading by two or more scores for most of the fourth quarter. The team views Jaylon Carlies – who snagged the team’s first interception of the year on Sunday – and rookie Bryce Boettcher as its options at weak-side linebacker, and veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither is the starter at middle linebacker.

Until something significant changes in Davis-Gaither’s performance or Allen’s development, it’s hard to imagine Allen playing significant snaps. After a Week 1 debacle with the Colts riddled with communication issues while safety Camryn Bynum relayed plays from Anarumo, coaches went with the traditional plan of giving that role to Davis-Gaither.

“Akeem’s playing well right now. We were playing well (on Sunday),” Anarumo said. “C.J.’s getting better each week in practice, so he will get his opportunities. Again, things are going well. The play count was low at one point, so there was no need to rest Akeem, so we just let it as-is. But (I’m) not down on C.J. He’s working his tail off. He’ll have his opportunity.”

Allen seems to face an uphill battle to get on the field sitting behind the one player on the depth chart who can’t seamlessly split snaps without risking communication issues. Rather than having a chance to show out in games and force coaches to elevate his workload, Allen’s going to have to show out on the practice field in hopes of forcing coaches to make a lineup change.

Outside the seven second-round picks from this spring’s draft who’ve missed at least two games due to injury, only six have played fewer than 100 snaps. Allen’s count of 11 — six in Week 2 and five in Week 3, all on defense — rank as the second-fewest among healthy second-rounders, trailing only Rams tight end Max Klare, who Los Angeles took with the 61st pick in April.

Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo explains why 2nd-round pick LB CJ Allen isn’t playing

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