LeQuint Allen is expected to have a key role in the Jacksonville Jaguars ' backfield during the 2026 NFL season.
It's just not clear at the moment whether the second-year running back will be ready to get on the field and prove himself in Week 1.
The Jags open the season at home on Sunday, Sept. 13 against the lowly Cleveland Browns . They'll do so with what they hope is a three-headed backfield that also includes Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The reality of the news out of Jaguars head coach Liam Coen on Wednesday, though, is that Allen may have to miss out on the season-opening matchup.
Allen is officially going to be a game-time decision on Sunday, Coen told reporters on Wednesday.
Coen first mentioned that offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen will be a game-time call.
"(We'll) work him out before the game, using every opportunity possible to get him ready to go," Coen said of Van Lanen.
He then shared that Allen was looking at a similar situation.
Allen has been dealing with a soft tissue injury that limited his ability to practice late in the preseason, as well, so this didn't sneak up out of nowhere.
There was just that sort of empty period between the final preseason game and now when coaches didn't really have to talk about injuries. Now, Coen had to clear the air on what's going on with Allen, and it sounds like the young RB is up against it to get ready for the opener.
Allen's absence is a fascinating one for the Jags, assuming that both Tuten and Rodriguez play, because his role was maybe the most defined of the group.
There's essentially no expectation that Allen will get early-down work this season. Instead, he's highly regarded for his pass-blocking and pass-catching abilities. They would be his ticket to get onto the field.
That was the case last season, too. It seemed pretty much the only times Allen played were on third downs.
With Travis Etienne gone in free agency to the Saints , though, there are openings to be claimed. It may take a few weeks for this to all shake itself out.
The Jags will have to decide which of Tuten or Rodriguez is the key passing-down back if Allen is forced to miss time, or they could make it a more straight-up committee with less defined roles.
Especially in the modern world of NFL running backs, the uncertainty is the norm, and it's made more confusing by Allen's potential absence.
More should be known about Allen as the injury reports come out throughout the week, with the final injury report arriving Friday.
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