Ideal landing spots for Commanders star Jonathan Allen
Jonathan Allen, Washington Commanders
Jonathan Allen has been one of the Washington Commanders’ best players since they made the Alabama product a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Allen, 29, earned Pro Bowl appearances in 2021 and 2022 before having somewhat of a down 2023 campaign. That coincided with Adam Peters eventually taking over as Washington’s general manager and the defensive-minded Dan Quinn becoming its next head coach.
This has led to some speculation that the Commanders might trade the star defensive lineman rather than extend him on a lucrative long-term contract.
Once Washington selected fellow defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, rumors heated up that Allen might not be long in Maryland.
He’s currently playing under a four-year, $72 million contract that runs through the 2025 campaign. With fellow Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne earning $22.5 million annually on his deal, the NFL salary cap becomes somewhat of an issue.
- Jonathan Allen stats: 111 QB hits, 57 tackles for loss, 39.0 sacks
As you can see, Allen has been uber productive during his seven-year run with the Commanders. It has executives from other teams openly wondering whether Washington will bite the bullet and trade him.
“The people I’ve talked to believe Washington will need to either rework his contract eventually or decide whether it will entertain trade interest, which it has rebuffed in the past,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted recently.
Ideal Jonathan Allen trade scenarios from the Washington Commanders
Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
- Buffalo Bills: The idea for general manager Brandon Beane and Co. would be to get a running partner for Ed Oliver in the Bills’ 4-3 defense. It’s similar to what Quinn plans to run in Washington. This would give the Bills another pass-rush option in the defensive front to mask what might be issues in the secondary after a mass exodus earlier in the offseason.
- Kansas City Chiefs: The two-time defending Super Bowl champions are always out there looking for upgrades. It has general manager Brett Veach as one of the most-active at his position on the trade front. Why not see what it would take to acquire Allen? He’d team up with Chris Jones to form one of the best defensive tackle tandems in the NFL.
- Las Vegas Raiders: It would make perfect sense for Vegas to at least inquire on the availability of Jonathan Allen. The team signed fellow defensive tackle Christian Wilkins during NFL free agency. Imagine a front four consisting of Wilkins and Allen inside with Maxx Crosby and Tyree Wilson out on the edge. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has to be salivating at this possibility.
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