The Steelers announced on Tuesday that they have tendered exclusive rights free agent linebacker, Marcus Allen.
An exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) is any player with less than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. The player cannot negotiate with other teams if his original team offers him a contract. The contract is for one season at the NFL league minimum salary, which, according to Spotrac, is $850,000.
Allen entered the NFL as a safety, but the Steelers converted him to linebacker last season. The bulk of Allen’s work came via special teams with six tackles on 196 snaps. Defensively, he contributed 30 tackles (two for loss), and two quarterback hits in two starts and 14 appearances.
Pittsburgh selected the Penn State product in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Allen is still a work in progress, but the switch to linebacker afforded him more opportunities to see the field than at safety. The linebacker position is where Pittsburgh desperately needs depth, so it’s good that they got this deal done.
After signing J.C. Hassenaur last week, the remaining ERFA is linebacker Robert Spillane.
We have signed LB Marcus Allen to a one-year contract. @BordasLawhttps://t.co/HSkPmauwUm
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 9, 2021
