Ricardo Allen gets IR-return designation by Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have cleared safety Ricardo Allen to practice by giving him the IR-return designation, the team announced Wednesday.

Allen has been on IR since September 15th with a hand injury he suffered in Game 1 vs. the Minnesota Vikings. Today starts a 21-day period during which Allen may practice with the team without counting against the 53-man active roster. He is eligible to be activated to the roster at any time during that period.

Allen played in Game 1 vs. Minnesota and recorded five tackles. The 29-year-old DB did well in the 23 snaps he got, as Pro Football Focus currently has him at an 85.4 grade this season. The highest grade he’s ever had in a season in which he played double-digit games was a 75.8 mark in 2016 (played in all 16 games).

He may not be a starter, but Allen is a solid veteran who brings much-needed experience to this secondary, which could be needed this week vs. a high-powered Green Bay Packers offense.