Washington Football Team: 4 players desperate to perform vs Bengals
By Jerry Trotta
1. Kyle Allen
Stuck behind Fitzpatrick and Heinicke in the QB pecking order, Kyle Allen entered training camp in a difficult position. That situation became more strenuous for Allen after he tweaked his surgically-repaired ankle at the start of camp.
That all but confirmed that he’d begin preseason third on the depth chart, and that’s where he currently sits as we enter Week 2. Luckily for Allen, however, he returned to practice this week and told reporters he plans on playing Friday.
Kyle Allen says he'll play Friday against the Bengals. Said it's been "tough" dealing with the camp injury after recovering from ankle surgery.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 17, 2021
Kyle Allen’s return from injury comes at a perfect time.
To say that Allen needs a strong performance (assuming he plays) would be an understatement, as it would go a long way towards him putting pressure on Heinicke for the backup job.
While Washington is high on Heinicke, Rivera hasn’t even committed to Fitzpatrick as the starter yet, so Allen could gain some ground if he impresses vs the Bengals.
Fans should temper expectations given how much practice time he missed, but we’re talking about a QB who started 12 games for the Panthers in 2019, so he should be able to hold his own against Cincinnati’s second- and third-stringers.
