The Cincinnati Bengals made a splash by signing Jonathan Allen in free agency before it was almost immediately overshadowed by the Dexter Lawrence trade.
Not that Allen would complain: The arrival of Lawrence ramps up the chances he achieves his goal in Cincinnati.
Simple goal, too: Allen just wants to win.
That winning, in turn, should lead to football that matters in the winter months, says Allen.
“It’s funny. After I left Minnesota (last season), I just sat down and had to really think what I wanted, Allen said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to come up here and put up great numbers. That proves your worth and why they brought you in. But, honestly, I just want to play meaningful football in December, and I want to help the team any way I can. I believe if I do that, the numbers will come. At this point in my career, it’s all about winning, man.”
That much seemed obvious when Allen agreed to sign on the dotted line in Cincinnati, of course. But it’s not so simple for him, considering he entered the league in 2017 and didn’t win his first playoff game until 2025 in Washington.
Talk about setting a theme for the 2026 Bengals. The team wanted better veteran leadership on defense and couldn’t have found much better than Allen, all things considered.
And with Allen tandeming with Lawrence, BJ Hill and others, one of the bigger weaknesses on the field, plus leadership, should spur the defense to the desired rebound.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Jonathan Allen’s reason for joining Bengals sets tone for 2026
Reporting by Chris Roling, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chris Roling, Bengals Wire | USA TODAY Network
