Bengals defensive tackle grades unit ‘B’ amid preseason overhaul
The veteran defensive tackle joined Dexter Lawrence and others in a major roster reconstruction aimed at fixing a unit rated as the NFL’s worst last season.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Jonathan Allen has assigned a grade of ‘B’ to the team’s defensive line during the 2026 training camp, signalling cautious optimism following a significant roster overhaul. Allen, who joined the squad this offseason alongside Dexter Lawrence, emphasised that while the unit has shown progress, its true value will only be determined during regular-season play.
The Bengals’ front office undertook a major reconstruction of the defensive line this offseason, seeking to address a unit widely considered the worst in the NFL last season. The strategic additions of Allen and Lawrence were intended to stabilise the defence and provide greater support for quarterback Joe Burrow, a move described by some observers as critical to preserving the current era of the franchise.
Allen noted that the new configuration has already impacted training camp dynamics, reportedly causing difficulties for the Bengals’ offence during practice sessions. The defensive line now features a rotation including Allen, Lawrence, BJ Hill, and TJ Slaton, with Allen describing his own signing as a “massive rotational move” that has received less media attention than the hype surrounding Lawrence.
Speaking to reporter Mike Petraglia, Allen acknowledged the positives while highlighting areas for improvement. “I think we’ve done a lot of good things, a lot of things that we can improve on,” Allen said. He stressed the importance of maintaining focus, stating, “But you know, at the end of the day, we’re just stacking days. None of this really matters until we do it on game day.”
Allen’s comments were shared via a tweet on August 7, 2026, following training camp day 3 on July 31. The source of the reporting, Yahoo Sports, is authored by Jonathan Allen, who is also the subject of the article, presenting a potential conflict of interest in the coverage of his own performance and team dynamics.
