RICHMOND — While Jonathan Allen rehabbed from foot surgery, the Redskins defensive lineman set a goal: be able to do five to 10 calf raises without feeling any pain.
The benchmark, he said, would be the final indicator he would be fully healed. In 2017, Allen suffered a Lisfranc sprain in October that limited his promising rookie season to just five games. The Redskins desperately missed his presence, and the defense suffered without him.
By March or April, he estimated, Allen finally was able to do the workout.
Now, Allen has his eyes on a new goal for 2018: take his play to the next level.
“I mean, I definitely feel like everybody has personal goals, but for me, it’s just to dominate and be more consistent. I feel like I was — before I got hurt, I was playing at a pretty high level,” Allen said. “But I want to be able to take that to the next level and be able to play like that every week, every game, and not have a good game or just an okay game.
“I want to be able to try to dominate every opponent, every snap, every game. So, when I say take it to the next level I really mean consistency.”
Allen, drafted 17th overall in 2017 out of Alabama, had one sack last year in five games. But he was a staple on the defensive line.
Allen said he wants to become better at bending the corner off the rush and wants to become “skinnier” around offensive lineman.
Allen added he’s having fun while trying to improve. On Saturday, the Redskins went through their most physical practice yet of training camp. Players smashed against each other and pushed each other back during goal line drills.
Allen, however, loved it.
“That’s what we do on the offensive line and defensive line,” Allen said. “We bang and clang man. So that’s what we love about football.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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