Seeing Jonathan Allen back on the practice field this week was surprising and welcome in equal measure. Unfortunately, this weekend's game came too soon.
There was hope to start the week's preparations regarding Allen's return. John Keim of ESPN revealed that the defensive tackle's torn pectoral wasn't as bad as initially feared. The former first-round selection's been working exceptionally hard to speed up his recovery timeline, which is thanks in no small part to the Commanders being firmly in the playoff mix.
Had the Commanders been languishing among the NFL's bottom feeders — something Allen's experienced a lot since joining the franchise as a first-round pick out of Alabama — extra time would have been taken. Now that Washington has a significant opportunity over the last three games, the Pro Bowl-caliber performer is striving to help in any way possible.
The Commanders want to take things slowly with Allen despite the veteran's eagerness to get involved. Head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. seemed encouraged by his rapid progress. At the same time, they're not going to rush this considering the potential for his complication to flare up again.
Allen was in a black non-contact jersey on Wednesday and Thursday before coming out in a regular jersey for Friday's final session. He was listed as a limited participant, which wasn't surprising considering the lineman had been missing since Washington's defeat at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6.
Commanders believe Jonathan Allen is not too far away from returning
There was eager anticipation to see his final injury designation for this weekend's pivotal division showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles. As it turned out, Quinn wasted no time in ruling Allen out despite the player making encouraging progress.
The fact Allen is back practicing again is a big boost. Washington's defensive front has treaded water without him. So the sooner he's back on the rotation, the better the Commanders' chances will be.
While performances have dipped over the last two seasons by his typically high standards, Allen remains a respected figure around the league that demands respect from opposing protection schemes. He's also an inspirational motivator within the locker room, which the Commanders desperately need to get them over the hump and into the playoffs.
The Commanders were right to err on the cautious side with Allen. Throwing him into the fire versus a fierce division rival — notoriously physical games — heightened the risk of potential issues coming up. With another full week of practice under his belt, the chances of him making an impact against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football are much higher.
That's also a more winnable game, even though Quinn would never admit that publicly.
Any help Allen can provide will be a bonus. Nobody expected him back this season. Waiting one more week doesn't hurt, especially if it sharpens up the lineman enough to make a huge play versus the Falcons.
Time will tell on that one, but it's clear that Allen is not too far away.