Tight End Dwayne Allen of the Indianapolis Colts, heading into a contract year, has used the 2015 NFL offseason to slim down and trim up.
According to Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star, Allen has dropped 13 pounds from his playing weight last year:
Colts TE Dwayne Allen played last season at 268 pounds. Will be 255 this year. Faster. This offense. Wow. pic.twitter.com/dqjSCUPymw
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) July 15, 2015
This should scare the piss out of NFL defensive coordinators with Indy on the schedule this year. They’re already stressing about the addition of Phillip Dorsett, who should give T.Y. Hilton a run for his money this year as the team’s fastest player.
Allen surely understands he has a chance to rise into the upper echelons at his position.
Hilton and Dorsett combined have the ability to stretch the field perhaps better than any other duo in the league this year. Their home-run potential demands that opposing defenses must commit three (or more) defenders on every…single…play.
Otherwise, it’s a touchdown.
From ANYWHERE on the field.
If you suppose defenses will be sending at least four defenders to rush the passer, that leaves four more defenders to cover the other guys on the field.
Andre Johnson’s pretty good.
So is Frank Gore.
Allen is going to have a field day. Already in his young career he’s shown the ability to gain big chunks of yardage (12.5 yards per catch for his career). With so much extra speed on the field his opportunities to do work underneath will be plentiful.
His biggest challenge to success thus far has been staying healthy, which was the driving force behind his dedication this spring to lose the weight.
George Bremmer of The Herald Bulletin reported that Allen said he played at 70 percent in 2014, and the tight end also stated it “felt like my body broke down as the year went on.”
At a svelt 255 pounds, Allen’s trimmed up physique should better hold up to the rigors of the league’s arduous season. As an additional perk, he’ll be quicker, faster and more likely to get past linebackers and safeties, who were already no match for his game before he lost the weight.
This offense has the potential to challenge all the record books in terms of passing yards in one season.
With rising star Andrew Luck—one of the most fearless passers in the league—as the trigger man, the Colts are going to test defensive secondaries to the limit.
And then break them.
Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY