The Bengals hit a home run on defense

The Cincinnati Bengals continue to reshape their roster ahead of the upcoming National Football League season.entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline”>National Football League season.

Indeed, the Bengals are adding quality reinforcements to their defense by agreeing terms with defensive tackle Jonathan Allen on a two-year, $26 million contract.
According to information reported by Jeremy Fowler, the deal could also include up to $2 million in performance bonuses. At 31, Allen immediately becomes one of the key veterans on Cincinnati's defensive line.
This signing comes shortly after the player was released by the Minnesota Vikings for salary cap reasons, an official decision made at the start of the 2026 season.

A defense Cincinnati wants to transform

Allen's arrival is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the Bengals' defense. The team also recently signed a major deal with quarterback hunter Boye Mafe, who signed a three-year contract worth $60 million.
With an annual salary of $13 million, not including bonuses, Allen will become one of the team's highest-paid defensive players. He will be just behind Mafe and linebacker Bryan Cook, who will earn approximately $13.4 million per season.
These moves reflect Cincinnati's desire to rebuild certain units after a disappointing previous season. The team lost two key players during free agency, namely Trey Hendrickson and Trey Hendrickson.entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline”>Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai.

During his last season with the Vikings, Allen played in all 17 regular season games and racked up 68 tackles and 3.5 quarterback sacks, proving that he remains a player capable of bringing stability and experience to a defensive line.

Drafted in the first round—17th overall—in the 2017 draft by the Washington Commanders, Allen had his best seasons in Washington. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 2021 and 2022 seasons, during which he totaled 16.5 sacks.
In eight seasons with Washington, he recorded 42 quarterback sacks in 108 starts, cementing his reputation as one of the most reliable defensive tackles of his generation.

Movement also among the 49ers

Meanwhile, on the San Francisco 49ers side, two important pieces of news have been making headlines. The 49ers signed linebacker Dre Greenlaw to a one-year, $7.5 million deal.
Greenlaw is returning to San Francisco after spending one season with the Denver Broncos. Last year, he was limited to eight games due to injuries to his quadriceps and hamstrings.
At the same time, defensive end Bryce Huff announced his retirement at the age of 28 on social media. Huff began his career with the New York Jets, where he particularly distinguished himself in 2023 with a season of 10 quarterback sacks.
His performances then earned him a lucrative contract with the Philadelphia Eagles before being traded to the 49ers. Last season, he finished the campaign with 30 tackles and four sacks.
These various transactions show that several NFL teams are continuing to make significant adjustments to their lineups as the new season approaches, and the Bengals seem determined to strengthen their defense in order to become competitive again.

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