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Free agent safety Antonio Allen has signed with the Houston Texans.
Free agent safety Antonio Allen is signing with the Texans
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 16, 2016
Allen was a seventh round pick of the Jets back in 2012. His last chance to stick in green and white ended in August with an Achilles injury that cost him the entire 2015 season.
Antonio's time with the Jets was somewhat star-crossed. Todd Bowles would have offered him perhaps the best chance to stick since Bowles has utilized hybrid safety/linebacker types in the past. Allen was a college linebacker who converted to safety.
While an ill-fated attempt to convert him to cornerback in 2014 did not help his career, even at safety Allen displayed deficiencies in coverage, both man and zone, that prevented him from locking down more regular playing time. At best, he seems like a depth piece. In 2015 Dion Bailey and Rontez Miles shined in depth roles for the Jets at safety, leaving Allen with no room on the roster.