March 20, 2026, 1:53 p.m. ET
The Cincinnati Bengals have a pretty notable role in mind for their defensive linemen with Jonathan Allen on board via NFL free agency.
As expected, the Bengals will lean on Allen as a situational pass-rusher and hope that he’s a good scheme fit, which wasn’t the case during his time in Minnesota last year.
Notable, then, is this takeaway from Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer about BJ Hill and TJ Slaton:
“Allen was brought to Cincinnati with a specific role in mind. The Bengals plan to rely on TJ Slaton and BJ Hill primarily as their run stopping defensive tackles. If used properly, Allen can provide the club with an internal pass rushing option they haven’t had in two seasons.”
Hill is still a solid pass-rusher in his own right, ranking 40th out of 134 in pressures last year at PFF during a “down” season hampered a bit by nagging injuries.
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More interesting might be the note about Slaton, who at one point looked like a cut candidate based on the cap savings it would provide. There were logical connections to make about the Bengals reuniting with DJ Reader in free agency or grabbing another run-stuffer on the market.
All of this can still change, of course. Optimally speaking, the Bengals want a varied rotation that keeps everyone fresh for 17 games, if not more. And a defensive lineman is certainly not off the table at 10th overall.
Still, this is perhaps an early first look at what to expect in the wake of Allen’s arrival in Cincinnati.