The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to remain rather busy in free agency. On Monday, GM Omar Khan announced to reporters at the NFL Owners Meetings in Orlando that the Steelers have signed quarterback Kyle Allen and defensive lineman Dean Lowry.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor tweeted the news moments ago.
Allen, 28, becomes the third quarterback on the roster behind Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. He spent the 2023 season with the Buffalo Bills backing up Josh Allen. Prior to his one season in Buffalo, Allen spent time with the Carolina Panthers, Washington and the Houston Texans.
Allen went undrafted coming out of Houston in the 2018 NFL Draft. He played two seasons at Houston after transferring from Texas A&M.
In his career, he’s completed 441-of-704 passes for 4,734 yards and 26 touchdowns to 21 interceptions. He’s appeared in 30 career games with 19 starts, recording 12 starts in 2019 in Carolina after backing up Cam Newton that season. Allen is 7-12 overall as a starter. He last completed a pass in Week 12 of the 2022 season as a member of the Houston Texans before being benched for Davis Mills.
As the No. 3, Allen gives the Steelers good depth at the quarterback position behind Wilson and Fields. His addition leaves one spot open via the 2024 NFL Draft or undrafted free agency to add a fourth quarterback to carry into training camp and the preseason, which the Steelers historically like to do.
Lowry, who turns 30 in June, was recently released by the Minnesota Vikings. He was a pre-draft visitor coming out of Northwestern prior to the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent the 2023 season with the Vikings after seven seasons in Green Bay. He is listed at 6-6, 296 pounds.
A fourth-round pick of the Packers in 2016, Lowry has appeared in 120 career games with 84 starts. In his career, Lowry has recorded 266 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, 17 passes defensed, one interception, five fumble recoveries and 34 quarterback hits.
Lowry’s one career interception came against the Chicago Bears and former quarterback Mitch Trubisky in 2019.
Last season in Minnesota, Lowry played in just nine games and recorded 14 tackles. He suffered a torn pectoral muscle against the Denver Broncos and was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve on Nov. 20.
His best season to date came in 2021 with the Packers when he started all 17 games and recorded 5.0 sacks. He slots in as experienced, versatile depth for the Steelers in the trenches defensively, joining a room with Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton and Montravius Adams moving forward.
