Washington Football Team: Moses move a precursor to an Allen extension
In a surprising move, the Washington Football Team will be moving on from its longest-tenured player. Here is what it could mean for Jonathan Allen.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported today that Washington Football has granted Morgan Moses permission to seek a trade. Moses has been with the team since 2014 and has been a stalwart at right tackle since taking hold of the position in 2015.
This obviously shows that Rivera wants to get younger and go with “his guys.” He brought in a plethora of players from both free agency, the draft, and via trade to strengthen the depth of the offensive line.
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Essentially the message is if you were brought in under the old regime, and you are not a star, tread carefully.
However, this could also have implications for Jonathan Allen. Rivera has spoken highly of him, loves what he provides for the culture, which insinuates that they want to get a long-term deal done. Allen is also one of the better interior defensive linemen in the league.
Here is how a potential Morgan Moses trade could lead to an extension for Jonathan Allen.
What the Morgan Moses news means for Jonathan Allen
By trading or releasing Morgan Moses it would free up $7.75 million in cap space for Washington in 2021 according to ESPN’s John Keim. A Jonathan Allen extension could get close to, equal, or even exceed Leonard Williams’s price (three years, $63 million) when he signed his extension with the Giants.
Washington currently has $13.84 million in cap space according to Over the Cap in 2021. By parting with Moses, that would bring the total number to around $21.59 million His contract could now easily fit into Washington’s cap situation and allow them to make some other last-minute moves.
While moving on from Moses, on the surface, is head-scratching, it makes more sense when you peel back the layers of the situation. Washington acquired Sam Cosmi, Charles Leno, and Ereck Flowers all within this offseason to bolster the offensive line.
Moses has been somewhat average, to below average, the last few years, before a bit of a resurgence in 2020. Add that he was brought in under a different regime and is 30 years old, and you begin to understand the move. It then leaves room for more money to go to core players, especially on the defensive line, like Allen.
Rivera loves Allen’s leadership, work ethic, and attitude he brings into work today. He is only 26 years old and beginning to enter his prime. He was the team’s best defensive linemen last year and steadily improved as the year went along.
Shortly after the Moses news broke, Kevin Sheehan of the Team 980 said this could be a precursor to an Allen extension. And Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch says he expects Allen to be extended by training camp.
Allen will be in the Burgundy & Gold for a long time. He loves it in Washington as he told the Washington Post’s, Nicki Jhabvala. He is also steadily improving and both the coaching staff and front office love what he brings to the team. It is safe to expect that the expected Moses trade or release to be followed with a Jonathan Allen extension soon after.
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Allen is the epitome of a “Ron Rivera guy”, he will not only play at a high level but he will also be integral to the culture change in the nation’s capital. And that means a lot to Rivera.