Ricardo

Allen

Allen played sparingly for the Bengals in 2021 after six seasons with the Falcons. Allen never topped his rookie year numbers, and recorded 11 interceptions in 77 NFL starts. He entered the league in 2014 as a cornerback before transitioning to safety in 2015 for Atlanta.

Allen spent the minimum three games on IR and should return Sunday against the Packers. The 29-year-old will serve as the Bengals’ No. 3 safety behind Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell.

Allen suffered a broken hand in the season opener and has been on injured reserve since. He was cleared to practice Wednesday. The Bengals will now have a 21-day period to activate Allen to the 53-man roster. If they do not add Allen to the active roster the 29 year-old safety will revert to season-ending IR.

Allen will miss at least three weeks, and represents a downgrade to the Bengals’ secondary depth. The Bengals signed S Sean Davis to their practice squad in a corresponding move. The Bengals travel to Chicago to face Andy Dalton in Week 2.

A corner turned safety, Allen played seven seasons in Atlanta. The 29-year-old is best seen as a versatile backup or low-end starter as he heads into his eighth pro season. Allen will join a Bengals secondary graded by Pro Football Focus as the eighth best coverage unit in 2020.

It’s Allen’s first known visit since he was released by the Falcons 12 days ago. He would bring versatility and experience to the Bengals’ secondary.

The Falcons have to clear a lot of veterans to get under the salary cap this offseason, and Allen was one of the projected casualties. A corner turned safety, Allen played six seasons in Atlanta, maxing out as an average starter. The 29-year-old is best viewed as a versatile backup or low-end starter as he heads out of the prime of his career. Allen has vastly out-performed his 2014 fifth-round draft capital.

Allen went under the knife in January. Allen had a pedestrian 2019 as he came back from a torn Achilles’ tendon, but the Falcons added only fourth-rounder Jaylinn Hawkins in the draft or free agency. Going on 29, Allen will remain in the starting lineup opposite Keanu Neal.

The Athletic’s Jason Butt reports Allen played through the issue the “final few” games of the season. Now 28, it is not good news for a player who did not look the same in 2019 as he returned from a torn Achilles’ tendon. Allen is under contract through 2021. He should be back as a starter in 2020, but the Falcons need reinforcements at every level of the defense.

“I feel good,” Allen said. “I feel like I can beat a lot of people. I feel like I can compete and do some good things. That’s good enough for me right now.” Allen has yet to resume running with the first-team defense in 11-on-11 drills, but he is looking on track to return for Week 1. The 27-year-old DB has been sidelined since last September. Fellow starting safety Keanu Neal is completing rehab from a knee injury.