The Bengals promoted quarterback Brandon Allen from the practice squad after the season-ending injury to the franchise, Joe Burrow.
The season-ending injury to franchise quarterback Joe Burrow necessitated the Bengals promoting QB Brandon Allen from the practice squad. Allen will backup Ryan Finley who takes over as the starting QB for the remainder of the 2020 season. Allen is with his fourth franchise in his fifth NFL season.
Allen began his NFL career as a sixth-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft from Arkansas. As a three-year starter with the Razorbacks, Allen is the program leader in touchdown passes and third in passing yards. Allen was 1-2 in three starts in 2019 with the Denver Broncos.
That was the only playing time Allen has received in his career. In the three games, Allen completed just 46.4 percent of his passes for 515 yards, with three TDs, two interceptions, an anemic 68.3 passer rating and 35.4 QBR. Finley and Allen are both below average efficient passers.
The Bengals would be wise to search out other veteran QBs on practice rosters to come in and compete with Finley and Allen. Finley was incredibly inefficient last season in three starts plus his playing time on Sunday in relief of Burrow. Finley is slightly worse than Allen having completed 45.4 percent of his passes.
Finley has thrown for 504 yards with two TDs, three interceptions a 55.5 passer rating, a 23.7 QBR in 2019 and even worse 21.8 QBR on Sunday. Allen spent the 2016 season as a rookie on the Jaguars roster and the 2017and 2018 seasons on the roster of the Los Angeles Rams. Allen went to the Super Bowl with the Rams in 2018.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was the Rams QB coach in 2018 when he worked with Allen. Allen played in Denver after the Broncos claimed him off waivers. NFL Draft guru Matt Miller of the Bleacher Report was quoted by Barrett Sallee who is now with CBS Sports during the NFL Combine praising Allen.
"“Allen has a chance to make himself some money and move into that QB6 spot with a good combine…He didn’t have the best Senior Bowl week, but this stage is better suited for rhythm-based, touch passers like Allen. In an iffy quarterback class, he has a chance to emerge as a starter.”"
Allen has not proven to be a touch passer at this stage of his NFL career. The Bengals have some other options at QB. Former high draft picks Blake Bortles and Josh Rosen plus former Chiefs, Dolphins and Panthers QB Matt Moore who has 32 NFL career starts currently sit on practice squads.
Taylor said on Monday the priority with the Bengals is on winning. If that is the case inquiring about a veteran QB should be the preference for the remainder of the season. It is understandable if Cincinnati wants to see what they have in Allen and Finley and develop them to be quality backups for Burrow in the future.