5 free agents Steelers must sign to fix pathetic run defense
By Andrew Falce
Steelers could sign Allen
Going back to the nose tackle position, Beau Allen is another veteran that has carved out a nice career as a run-stopping presence for a defense. He has seen starting time on quite a few teams, and it seems like no matter where he ends up, he always cracks the starting lineup for a team’s base defense as their nose tackle. The Steelers could use that kind of consistency right now.
Similar to Dunn, Allen is a pure base defense nose tackle at this point in his career. He isn’t going to be making plays as a pass rusher, but he can take up space, hold down double teams, and open up gaps for linebackers to expose. He is a little bit older at just past 30 years old, but for a half-season rental, the Steelers could do much worse.
Allen’s play is reminiscent of Chris Hokes. Neither player developed into consistent starters, and neither player excelled at getting after the quarterback, but both contribute to the dirty work up front. His signing wouldn’t make headlines but adding a run defender of Allen’s caliber would be a solid move for a franchise struggling to stop the run.