We’re 10 days away from the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. Just 10! That means we’re 10 player profiles away from the Bengals’ 90-man roster getting down to 53. Check out previous player profiles here.

The next name of the countdown is the most experienced player Cincinnati signed to its defense this year.

Jonathan Allen Player Profile

Age: 31
Year: 10th
Position: Defensive tackle
College: Alabama
Jersey Number: 93

Jonathan Allen was originally selected No. 17 overall in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Washington. Prior to the NFL, Allen played four years (2013-16) at Alabama, appearing in 57 games. As a senior in 2016, he was a team captain and earned the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation’s best defensive player), Chuck Bednarik Award (nation’s best defensive player), and Ted Hendricks Award (nation’s best DE) while also securing unanimous first-team All-American (AP) honors, first-team All-SEC honors, and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. His 28.5 sacks were a school record before Will Anderson exceeded it six years later.

Allen has started 125 of the 126 games he’s played in his nine years of NFL experience. He spent his first eight seasons (2017-24) with Washington and made back-to-back Pro Bowls (2021-22) with the club. He got his first taste of postseason action in 2020 and helped the Commanders make a deep run in 2024 before losing in the NFC Championship Game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. His time in the nation’s capital came to an end shortly afterward when he signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. He originally signed a three-year deal with the Vikings, but due to cash constraints was let go at the start of this offseason.

Contract details

Allen signed a two-year, $25,000,000 deal with the Bengals during free agency. His base salary is $2,400,000 this season, and can earn up to $500,000 in per game roster bonuses throughout the year. He’s already earned a $7,500,000 signing bonus, a $3,000,000 roster bonus, and a $100,000 workout bonus. He’s scheduled to make $13,500,000 in cash this year.

Allen can also earn an additional $1,500,000 in incentives if he reaches eight sacks ($500,000 if he reaches six). Because those incentives are unlikely to be earned, the $1.5 million does not count against the salary cap. His cap hit for the season comes out to $9,750,000.

Roster outlook

Cincinnati initially struck out at signing a DT in free agency until Allen became available. The Bengals pounced on the chance to add a former Pro Bowler with some gas left in the tank, and spent more than expected in the process.

The objective is to get the most out of Allen without overplaying him. He’s played over 700 snaps in seven of his nine years, and the only two he didn’t was his rookie season and in 2024 when he missed nine games. Now that he’s in a starting trio with B.J. Hill and Dexter Lawrence, rotating him in and out more consistently is on the table. He should end up with around 500 snaps and be a key factor in the defensive line’s resurgence.

Roster odds: 100%