Beau

Allen

Allen joined the NFL as a seventh-round pick of the Eagles in 2014. He played in Philly for four years, one of which ended with him holding the Lombardi Trophy. He spent two years with the Bucs after his time in Philadelphia. Allen missed all of the 2020 season while on the Patriots’ injured reserve list. He ends his career with 117 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 14 TFLs.

Allen was projected as a starter upon inking a two-year deal in New England last March but missed the entirety of the 2020 season with an undisclosed injury. He’ll be projected as a special teams fill-in and utility interior player wherever he signs next.

The organization signed Allen to a two-year, $8 million contract to fill Danny Shelton’s role, but that will ultimately result in zero snaps with the team in 2020. Assuming the Patriots keeps him around for 2021, Allen will return to play both special teams and on the interior D-line.

Allen has been sidelined throughout camp but at the very least avoided going on the team’s PUP list to open the year. He’ll instead be eligible to return following the first three games. Projected as a starter next to Lawrence Guy, tne team may now be forced to pivot to 2019 fifth-rounder Byron Cowart in the interim.

Allen was used in a reserve role behind both Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh last year, totaling 10 tackles on 16 percent of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps. He’ll also play on special teams in New England, as he did on 137 snaps across two seasons in pewter and red.

The restructure was really a pay cut with Allen taking $1 million less to solidify his spot on the roster. The defensive tackle will now make $4 million in 2019.

It’s an especially key blow to Tampa Bay’s front because they are already missing NT Vita Vea and DT Mitch Unrein. Allen’s going-forward status is unknown.

It bodes poorly for free agent NT Bennie Logan’s odds of returning to Philly. Allen, 25, is a rising fourth-year run stopper out of Wisconsin. “We’re excited about Beau, both in his ability to be powerful in the run game but also his athleticism to work edges,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said at the Combine. “With an increased opportunity, we think he’ll be an even better player to our team.”

The injury is to the chest/pectoral area and expected to require surgery. Allen should open training camp on NFI and is a candidate to miss some or all of the 2017 season. Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan are locked in as starters, but it’s a blow to the Eagles’ defensive line depth.

Allen suffered the injury while working out last week. The surgery carries a four-six month timetable, which makes him at best questionable for Week 1. It is possible he opens the season on the reserve/NFI list.