Browns Sign Former Jaguars LB Dakota Allen

The former Jaguars linebacker is heading to the AFC North, joining a recent trend of former Jaguars.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Dakota Allen has found a new home this offseason, signing with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday afternoon. 

The Jaguars have had a recent trend of former linebackers ending up in the AFC North, starting with Joe Schobert's trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Fall and Myles Jack's signing with the Steelers this offseason. Allen, who the Jaguars once saw as a potential successor or even tag teammate of Jack's, now joins Jack in the AFC North.

Allen was drafted in the seventh round (No. 251) by the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 and spent time with both the Rams and Raiders' practice squads before signing to the Jacksonville Jaguars' active roster during Week 15 of the 2019 season.

Allen appeared in three games with the Jaguars in 2019 before appearing in 13 games and starting two in 2020 as the Jaguars limped to a 1-15 record. Allen backed up Jack at weakside linebacker and was a core piece of the Jaguars' special teams unit, recording 18 tackles, three tackles for loss and one quarterback hit as the Jaguars' defense finished among the worst in the NFL.

Allen made the Jaguars' roster again in 2021 as the Jaguars kept Jack as a starter and swapped out Schobert for Damien Wilson. Allen appeared in 14 games, starting one and recording nine tackles and one forced fumble.

The Jaguars chose to let Allen's contract expire this offseason as they looked to outside options to rebuild the linebacker room following Wilson's and Jack's own departures, signing Foyesade Oluokun in free agency and drafting Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd at No. 27 overall and Wyoming linebacker Chad Muma at No. 70 overall.

“That is a part of the competition right there. We have a good inside linebacker group and they are going to push each other," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said last week. 

"We will let the roles take place in training camp. You will earn your time here and he will have an opportunity to go out there and compete with everyone else. We are excited about him. He is someone that when you look at it – you do not call it a luxury – but it was a pick where he was the top one on our board. I know we have a couple other guys that can play that position and guys on the roster that can play that position, but he was a guy that you looked at … You like what he does and we like what we can do, so [we said] let’s go grab them.”