The Cleveland Browns announced they signed former Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen in free agency.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it’s believed to be for one year. Allen will presumably serve as the backup to starting center Ethan Pocic.
Allen was released by the Rams earlier this offseason after spending six seasons with the team.
The Rams selected Allen No. 111 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft and played in 13 games his rookie season. He would go on to win the starting job in 2019 and started nine games before getting hurt. Unfortunately, things piled up for Allen in 2020 as he became the first NFL player to test positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus) and suffered injuries that forced him to miss the entire regular season.
The lineman eventually bounced back and had his best season in the league in 2021, starting all 16 regular season games and the playoffs to help Los Angeles win Super Bowl LVI. His strong play earned him a three-year extension worth up to $24 million.
However, Allen once again suffered injuries, this time to his thumb and knee that forced him to miss 10 games in the 2022 season. Allen appeared in just five games for Los Angeles during the 2023 season with no starts after he lost the starting center job to Coleman Shelton in training camp.
With Los Angeles riding up against the salary cap, Allen was a logical cut. Despite Shelton leaving in free agency for the Chicago Bears, there was no room for Allen as the team will be moving Steve Avila to center and having new free agent signing Jonah Jackson take over at left guard.
Despite Allen’s absence, Los Angeles is still in good shape in regards to their offensive lineman depth. While Kevin Dotson, Jackson and Avila will man the interior, the Rams also selected center Beuax Limmer and guard KT Leveston in the 2024 NFL Draft. Limmer and Leveston were considered high-upside swings and could feasibly step in as starters down the line.
Meanwhile, Allen should be solid depth behind Pocic in Cleveland.
Sean McVay explains Rams’ rationale for moving Steve Avila to center
Steve Avila was considered one of the best interior lineman prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft and he looks like a foundational piece for the Rams’ offensive line after a strong rookie year. Although Avila started every game at left guard, Sean McVay explained that moving him to center was never the plan but quickly became a path that was worth going down once Jackson was available in free agency.
