Days after the Minnesota Vikings released the veteran defensive tackle, he signed a two-year contract worth up to $28 million. Allen was introduced as the newest Bengal on Friday in a press conference with local media.
“I think as a defensive lineman, having the ability to play with a guy like Joe Burrow and that offense,” Allen said. “You know they’re going to put points up, you know, we’re going to be playing with the lead, so allowing us as a defense and defensive line to kind of get after the quarterback was definitely enticing. And just the defensive staff that we’ve had here, Coach (Jerry) Montgomery, I’ve known him for 15 years. I mean, he recruited me out of high school, so just between, you know, Burrow and the offense and the defensive staff here, I thought it was just honestly the best fit for me.”
Montgomery, who enters his second season with the Bengals, was the defensive line coach in the college ranks at Wyoming, Indiana and Michigan when Allen was playing high school football in Virginia. Allen ended up at Alabama, then became a first-round draft pick of the Washington Commanders (then Redskins) in 2017.
Despite their paths going in different directions up until now, Allen said he always kept in touch with Montgomery.
Allen played eight seasons with Washington before signing a three-year contract with Minnesota last offseason. Despite playing 76 percent of the defensive snaps over 17 starts last season, his time came to an end earlier this week, as the Vikings saved about $8 million in cap space by cutting him.
“He coached me in the Pro Bowl (in the 2021 season),” Allen said. “I mean, obviously he was in Green Bay for a while, so after every game, me and him would always connect. So that’s definitely a guy that I’m very fond of.”
Allen, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, has been known as a good run stopper and pass rusher, though his sack production has declined over the last three years. He hopes to be able to help the Bengals in all areas.
Ironically, one of his favorite defensive tackles to study, especially early in his career, was former Bengals standout Geno Atkins. Allen said Atkins always stood out because of his explosiveness and ability to “completely just take over games from the inside” in all phases. He studied Atkins film because it was repeatable for anyone, even if they aren’t the prototypical 6-foot-5, 350-pound linemen the NFL sees today. Atkins’ speed was what wowed the fans, but Allen saw him as a technical run stopper and pass rusher.
“It’s funny, Geno Atkins is always a guy that I’ve liked to look at, just because he’s not the biggest guy, and I think for me, it’s the ability to play all three downs,” Allen said. “That’s something that I’ve always prided myself on, is being able to stop the run on first, second down and affect the quarterback on third down. So, for me, I would just say the ability to play all phases of the game.”
Allen still wants to be on the field every down as much as he can, but at age 31, staying fresh is also important so balancing that — maybe around 65 to 75 percent of snaps — will be important. The Bengals have discussed how to best manage that, as he joins a defensive tackle room that includes fellow veterans BJ Hill and TJ Slaton and third-year players Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson.
Going into Year 10, Allen was looking for a place where he could still have a key role and help a team that has a chance to compete for championships. He believes he can do both with Cincinnati.
“It was where I thought I was going to be the most happy,” Allen said. “I want to go somewhere that we have a chance to compete, where I feel like I can showcase my talents and help the team at the same time. And this is one of the few places where I felt like I could have my cake and eat it too. I mean, again, when you have a guy like Burrow, you always have a chance. You’re never out of it. And, you know, with the coaches we have here and the players that they already have in and they’ve been bringing in, I just felt like this was the perfect fit for me and my family.”
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