New England Patriots fans at the moment are upset. They have every right to be. They just lost their beloved quarterback of the past 20 years, Tom Brady, along with several other key players in free agency.
So when the Patriots' lone free-agent signing Wednesday was a relatively anonymous defensive tackle named Beau Allen, the move wasn't exactly met with enthusiasm. It isn't difficult to see why, as Allen's numbers (13 games, 0.5 sacks, 10 tackles) last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers certainly don't jump off the page.
So why should the signing move the needle at all for Pats fans? Well, Allen's personality is a start.
Just check out his Twitter account, for instance, which is full of gems.
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Allen is also close with former New England Patriots defensive end Chris Long. The two played together on the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 (yes, the team that beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII).
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Then, Allen joined Long’s Waterboys foundation which helps provide clean drinking water to those who are without it. The two climbed Mount Kilimanjaro together as part of the charity.
You can get a better glimpse into Allen's unique personality in his YouTube video with Long.
(Warning: Language)
You can donate to the foundation here.
As for what Allen brings to the table on the football field, presumably he'll replace Danny Shelton at nose tackle after Shelton left for the Detroit Lions in free agency.
But what really stands out about the 28-year-old is he has experience at fullback. Allen, 6-foot-3, 327 pounds, played a snap at fullback for Philly in its 2016 season opener, tallying a rushing touchdown in its win over the Cleveland Browns.
Perhaps that makes Allen the new Elandon Roberts, who stepped up as the emergency fullback when James Devlin and Jakob Johnson went down with injuries last season. Roberts left in free agency for the Miami Dolphins.
It's a tough time in Foxboro right now, but when it gets brighter, Patriots fans should have no problem warming up to their newest defensive tackle. Of course, what truly will matter is how he performs next fall.
