A day after he went down in practice with an Achilles injury, defensive back Antonio Allen has been waived by the Jets with an injury designation, the team announced today in a press release. The club signed cornerback Keon Lyn to replace Allen on its roster.
As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported last night, the Jets feared that Allen tore his right Achilles when he went down with an injury yesterday. The 26-year-old underwent an MRI today, and it appears the Jets confirmed that diagnosis, which means Allen will be out for the year.
Because he was cut with an injured designation, Allen will revert to the Jets’ injured reserve list if he goes unclaimed on waivers. A team could decide to claim him, but the defensive back is entering the final year of his contract, so if he’s out for the year, it wouldn’t really benefit another club to add him.
Allen, who joined the Jets as a seventh-round pick in 2012, assumed a major role for the team in 2013, starting nine games at safety and accumulating 60 tackles. Last season, he saw some time at cornerback when New York’s depth chart at the position thinned out. Assuming he recovers from his torn Achilles, he should draw some interest on the free agent market next year, once his rookie contract expires.