After losing Trey Hendrickson, the Cincinnati Bengals are making big upgrades to their defensive line. Per multiple reports, the team has agreed to terms with DT Jonathan Allen.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, it’s a two-year, $28 million deal.
Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and the Bengals have agreed to a two-year, $28M deal, per sources.
Cincinnati pursued the former Pro Bowler aggressively after Minnesota released him, reaching a deal with agent @blakebaratz of @TeamIFA pic.twitter.com/j86xxtwnSV
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 12, 2026
Allen was released by the Minnesota Vikings days ago in a salary cap move. Last season, he started all 17 games and recorded 68 tackles, 11 QB hits, and 3.5 sacks. A former first-round pick who enjoyed a long and successful career with Washington, this is Allen’s first trip to the AFC.
For his career, Allen’s recorded 45.5 sacks across 125 starts. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler, earning the nod in 2021 and 2022.
He’ll bolster a Bengals interior defensive line that needs plenty of help. Combined with DE Boye Mafe, the Bengals have improved their defensive line, which needed more than one pure pass rusher in Hendrickson.
The Bengals are looking to turn around a miserable defense. Last year, Cincinnati ranked 30th in points per game and 31st in total yards. For the first half of the season, the Bengals were tracking to become a historically bad defense and blew multiple fourth-quarter leads. Lack of a pass rush was an issue. As a unit, Cincinnati notched only 34 sacks with no player registering more than 5.5. No defensive tackle had more than B.J. Hill’s four.
Even with Hendrickson out of Cincinnati, Pittsburgh will still have to face him twice per season after the four-time Pro Bowler inked a deal with the Baltimore Ravens. He officially passed his physical today. The AFC North is full of stud pass rushers in Hendrickson, Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, and Pittsburgh’s deep group of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig.
Allen, 31, is no longer the high-end lineman he once was. But it’s still an upgrade to the Bengals’ front lines and will be a veteran to contend with for C Zach Frazier, RG Mason McCormick, and whoever starts at left guard for Pittsburgh. Spencer Anderson may have the inside track.
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati split their season series a year ago. The Bengals netted a Thursday night upset victory with the Steelers dominating in the rematch.
Recommended for you