Eagles Sign WR Devon Allen

A two-time Olympic finalist in the 110-meter hurdles, Devon Allen will give football another try. The Eagles signed the U.S. track and field standout Friday, providing Allen an opportunity to resume a career that has been on hold for a while.

Allen last played football in 2016, when he suited up at Oregon, but was far better on the track and elected to turn pro in that sport. The former Marcus Mariota target has been a mainstay in the 110 hurdles for the past six years, but he totaled 684 receiving yards and scored seven touchdowns as a freshman with the Ducks — on a 2014 team that played for a national championship. Allen, 27, ventured back to his alma mater last week to participate in the Ducks’ pro day and clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash.

It’s now or never because I don’t want to get too old,” Allen said last week. “I don’t want to turn 30, 31, and then try and get into the NFL. I know the skill gap is still there from college to the NFL, but I think when I did play college and when I did play at a pretty good level, I would consider myself talented enough to play in the NFL.”

Although Allen has three U.S. national hurdle titles on his resume, he narrowly missed the Olympic podium in 2016 (fifth) and 2021 (fourth) and has seen Grant Holloway usurp him as Team USA’s top high hurdler. Allen entered the professional track ranks after an ACL tear ended his Oregon football run in 2016.

This signing is closer to a flier than a legitimate attempt for the Eagles to upgrade at receiver, but the team has been patient this offseason. Philadelphia has added Zach Pascal but pursued bigger names — from Allen Robinson to Christian Kirk to DeVante Parker — in free agency. The team has two first-round picks in the upcoming draft but has used first-rounders on wideouts in each of the past two years.

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