If there’s one area on the Redskins roster that won’t change at all, from now until the regular season, it’s the interior defensive line.
It’s impressive that the Washington Redskins defensive line, once an irreconcilable weakness, is now the team’s greatest strength, without much need for debate.
It took an investment of two first-round picks and two fifth-round picks, and without Jim Tomsula, the position group might not have developed so nicely. But now, the Redskins have what they lacked for so long: An imposing defensive line. And with three rotational starters under 25 years old, the best is yet to come.
In 2019, the Redskins need to build around their defensive core, and while they do, the Redskins defensive line will have to hold up its end of the bargain. With ascending talents like Jonathan Allen, that shouldn’t be too hard.
Allen’s 2018 season with the Redskins
Allen showed promise in his rookie season, but his 2017 campaign was rendered incomplete due to a lingering foot injury. In 2018, he got his chance to shine with a clean bill of health, and he took full advantage of the opportunity.
In his sophomore campaign, Allen accumulated 8.0 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 61 total tackles in a full 16-game slate. He was the Redskins most consistent and well-rounded interior defender, and he’s slowly establishing himself as a mainstay talent on the interior.
Allen wasn’t recognized nationally with a Pro Bowl berth or an All-Pro bid, but as long as he continues to maintain and improve on his current level of play, he could get there as early as 2019.
What Allen needs to show at Redskins training camp
Unlike some of the recent subjects of our training camp profile series, Allen doesn’t necessarily need to show anything new. He’s been developing at a steady rate, and entering the year, he’s the best of a very bright bunch on the Redskins interior.
For Allen, training camp is an opportunity to continue to hone his skills, and inch toward his maximum potential. Although he’s a solid all-around defender, he has more room to improve as a run defender, and he can also establish himself as a leader, something that was alluded to after D.J. Swearinger’s infamous release last season.
If Allen can simply keep working with Tomsula, and establish himself as a voice to rally around, and a voice of reason, in the Redskins defensive locker room, then his 2019 training camp can be considered a success.
Allen’s main competition at Redskins training camp
For his specific starting spot, Allen doesn’t have any competition. He’s firmly entrenched as one of the Redskins starters on the interior defensive line.
That said, Allen might be competing for snaps among the Redskins starters. Daron Payne‘s time allotment should be more secure, as he’s the younger player with more utility as a run defender, while Allen and Matt Ioannidis are the pass rush specialists.
If Ioannidis shows more growth than Allen in training camp, and is able to take on a larger work load, then he could sap some of Allen’s snaps away. But both are high-quality players, and should see a great deal of snaps either way. Any change is bound to be minimal at most, barring an unforeseen injury.
Allen’s 2019 outlook with the Redskins
Allen’s 2019 outlook is simple: Take the next step. He showed promise as a rookie. He broke out as a solid starter in 2018. Now, it’s time for Allen to earn some national recognition for his performance. A little fine tuning can go a long way toward separating Allen at the top.
As long as Allen continues to stay healthy, he should be able to keep developing on a steady curve. He has the athletic traits and the strength to be a top-flight starter in the NFL, and as one cog of a talented defensive line, he could take another leap in 2019.
Have another player you want to see an in-depth breakdown on? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag as training camp grows closer!