Bengals’ Forgotten Signing May Be Their Most Important Addition

The Dexter Lawrence trade has rightfully dominated the conversation around the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive overhaul this offseason. A top-five talent at his position, a generational interior force, a move that sent a direct message to Joe Burrow and the rest of the AFC, it’s the kind of acquisition that commands every headline.

But in the noise surrounding Lawrence’s arrival, one signing has been almost entirely overlooked. Jonathan Allen quietly walked into Paycor Stadium in March and signed a deal that could prove just as important to Cincinnati’s defensive identity as anything else this front office did.

The Bengals signed Allen to a two-year contract worth up to $25 million in March, making the former first-round pick of Washington part of a defensive line that now features Lawrence, B.J. Hill, and rookie Landon Robinson. 

Allen has played 126 career games with 125 starts, producing 45.5 sacks, 469 total tackles, 67 tackles for loss, and 129 quarterback hits, which places him eighth in sacks among all NFL players of the 2020s. He is a proven, decorated interior pass rusher who made the Pro Bowl after the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Allen comes off a 2025 season with Minnesota where he played all 17 games and finished with 68 tackles and 3.5 sacks. While his production last season was modest by his peak standards, the former Pro Bowler proved he is still an effective pass rusher capable of pushing the pocket from the defensive tackle spot. And that’s why the Bengals are banking on him as their primary interior pass rushers alongside Lawrence.

Lawrence is expected to draw the double teams on virtually every snap. He led the NFL in interior pressures over the past four seasons by a historic margin. But Allen is expected to be the guy that punishes opposing offenses for committing their extra attention to Lawrence.

The pairing is designed specifically to collapse the pocket from the inside and create the kind of interior pressure that forces quarterbacks into rushed decisions before Boye Mafe, Cashius Howell, and Myles Murphy can close off the edges.

Aside from what he can do on the field, the Bengals are also getting a player that is motivated.

“This is one of the few places I can compete for a Super Bowl and have a chance to showcase my talent,” Allen said in March.

He is 31 years old with two Pro Bowls and will be eager to add a championship ring to his resume. 

The Bengals got a legitimate starting defensive tackle that is ready to win now and all eyes will be watching to see what he can do on the field.