Colts re-sign Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener to hit the market
29 targets in 13 games. 16 receptions. 1 touchdown.
Four years, $29.4 million.
Insane.
But that’s free agency in the NFL, and that’s what the Indianapolis Colts and much maligned GM Ryan Grigson gave former third round pick Dwayne Allen on Monday afternoon to keep him off the free agent market. Here’s what Grigson had to say:
“From (owner) Jim Irsay and his family on down we are very pleased to announce the re-signing of Dwayne Allen. Besides the broad skill set and overall talent level he brings, Dwayne’s tenacity and physicality has always been what has set him apart from the beginning. His genuine love for the people of this community, its fans and for the game of football is what makes him special.”
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Somehow, after watching Coby Fleener catch at least 50 passes in each of the last three seasons, Grigson prioritized Allen. That’s not to say Allen isn’t a good player — he is — but Fleener has vastly out-produced him in the passing game since being drafted together in 2012.
Not to mention, Fleener has great chemistry with Andrew Luck. When Luck was fully healthy in 2014, Fleener caught eight touchdown passes, a career-high. The thing is, Allen caught eight TD passes that year as well, and the Colts see him as a superior blocker to Fleener.
If you have to pay one, go with the guy that has the more complete skill set. There have been times when I’ve wondered what was going through Coby Fleener’s mind out there on the field, but at least he’s been out there. Allen has struggled mightily with injuries in his first four years in the league.
The Colts will likely lose Fleener as a result of this move, so hopefully it was the right one. Allen is a talented player, but losing Fleener could be a big blow to their passing game.