Shorthanded at guard, the Chiefs will bring back a familiar face in Jeff Allen. The seventh-year lineman reached an agreement to return to Kansas City, the Chiefs announced.
Allen played four seasons with the Chiefs, from 2012-15, the last of which being strong enough to entice the Texans to give him a $7MM-per-year deal. That contract did not end up working out, and Houston cut Allen after two seasons. He’s been in free agency since July.
To make room on their roster, the Chiefs waived defensive back Leon McQuay.
A former second-round pick during the Scott Pioli regime, Allen started for most of his first two seasons but missed most of the 2014 campaign. His 2015 contract year featured work at guard and tackle, and Allen’s return midway through the season partially coincided with a Chiefs 10-game win streak that helped them go from 1-5 to the playoffs.
He started 26 games in Houston but didn’t generate strong reviews, with concussion issues and other injuries intervening. The Texans placed Allen on their PUP list in May and reached an injury settlement with the 28-year-old blocker two months later. The Texans added former Allen Kansas City teammate Zach Fulton on a similar free agent deal in March.
The Chiefs are without Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who suffered a broken leg that has him on IR. Jordan Devey is filling in as the team’s starting right guard. Allen played three of his four K.C. seasons under Andy Reid, so it shouldn’t take him long to readjust to the Chiefs’ system.