GM Ryan Poles doesn’t want to be reliant on free agency to build the Chicago Bears. He wants to focus on the draft. This is a good thing. However, for right now, it might be impractical. The Bears only have six draft picks and a ton of roster holes to fill. Poles may have to rely on free agency for this year to get the roster situated. Don’t expect it to be just short-term options, either. There will be a handful of long-term additions if the price is right. One of them could be Brian Allen.
A former 4th round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, he emerged as their starting center in 2019. However, he lost that job to Austin Blythe in 2020. Then after Blythe left last season, Allen regained the job and had his best all-around season while helping the Rams win the Super Bowl. In 21 games, he allowed just 25 total pressures on the quarterback and was one of their best run blockers.
At 26-years old, he’s entering his physical prime.
With just days before the start of free agency, the Rams haven’t reached an agreement on any extension. This means Allen will likely hit the open market. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears are one of the teams angling for his services. A revelation that falls right in line with what Poles said over a month ago. He wants to build this team through the trenches.
“One source said the Bears could be in play for Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen, a Hinsdale Central graduate who played at Michigan State. Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones also is available. The list of guards includes Brandon Scherff of the Washington Commanders, Laken Tomlinson of the San Francisco 49ers, Connor Williams of the Dallas Cowboys, Austin Corbett of the Rams, Andrew Norwell of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Alex Cappa of the Buccaneers.”
One of the top free agents the #Bears should target this year is Rams center Brian Allen.
The Hinsdale native is a stellar zone blocker with good mobility and a mean streak in the run game. Would be a huge add for Chicago’s OL. pic.twitter.com/auVgxtAhZ2
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) January 29, 2022
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Hell of a rep from 55 C Brian Allen on this screen pic.twitter.com/6L4yZPE6iT
— Josh Cohen (@JCohen_NFL) September 29, 2021
Allen also makes sense from a system standpoint. The Bears will likely implement an outside-zone rushing offense under new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. It is a scheme made famous by the likes of Mike Shanahan and his son Kyle. Another coach who uses it extensively is Sean McVay, who runs the Rams. Allen’s familiarity with that system makes him a logical candidate for Chicago’s retooling front five.
Brian Allen price tag will determine how this goes
Recent projections by Spotrac indicated that he could command somewhere in the vicinity of $5.4 million per year. That is quite affordable from the Bears’ perspective. Remember guard James Daniels is projected to cost maybe twice that amount. Getting a solid blocker for a manageable price would be a great way to start free agency. Of course, this presumes it stays that way.
The odds that the Bears will be the only team interested in Brian Allen seem unlikely. When multiple teams become involved on one player, that tends to drive the price tag up. If a bidding war breaks out, there is a good chance the center could command a dollar amount Poles won’t be willing to pay. That is likely what his agent wants to happen. It will be interesting to see if Poles gives up the cash or will set a specific number he won’t go over.
Free agency begins on March 16th, but the action starts long before that.
The two-day negotiating window begins at 11:00 a.m. Central Standard Time. Teams will likely start reaching agreements with players at a rapid pace. The most expensive ones tend to go early. It will be interesting to see if Allen is one of them or if he may have to wait a few days before finding his new home.
