Devon Allen Ready to Get Physical Again

The WR hasn't played football since 2016 after focusing on being an Olympic hurdling star, but bracing for contact he said isn't his biggest adjustment, so what is?

PHILADELPHIA – It was a brief exchange, but noteworthy just the same.

Olympic hurdling standout Devon Allen, attempting football for the first time since 2016, was lingering by the entrance to the back hallway that leads to the Eagles’ locker room spooning some water ice – mango-flavored, if you must know.

I casually asked him if he wouldn’t mind me taking a picture, and he couldn’t have been nicer about it.

“Sure,” he said then walked my way.

“What’s up?” he asked.

I asked him how things were going.

“Great,” he said. “It feels good to be out here running around playing football again.”

“What’s been the biggest adjustment returning to the game?” I asked.

“Running routes again,” he said. “Just be precise with my cuts and the timing. It’ll be all right, though. I’m just happy to be out here doing this again.”

“What about the hits you’ll be taking, think that’ll be an adjustment?” I asked.

“Nah, I’ll be fine,” Allen answered. “I added 10 pounds, so I’ll be good.”

He said he weighs 195 pounds, up from 185.

We also talked about OTAs and how valuable they were to get him acclimated to the game again after not playing since he made it into three games for Oregon in 2016 before working on a wildly successful hurdling career. 

The spring work helped he said but added that he missed the final week of OTAs with covid.

Allen didn’t seem to be involved too much with the offense during the 58-minute practice or even special teams. He is still likely getting his, proverbial football feet wet.

Still, there is a real numbers crunch to make the roster at wide receiver and the sooner he jumps into the deep end of the pool, the better.

The Eagles have 13 WRs in camp after adding yet another one prior to practice, with Lance Lenoir being added to the mix.

Allen is going to have figure things out quickly if he wants to make a run at a job on the 53-man roster.

Trading Jalen Reagor would help, and that is something that could happen, but even if it does, it will still be a steep climb for the Olympian.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.