Washington Football Team inks Jonathan Allen to massive extension

Another one of the Washington Football Team’s foundational defensive players is officially locked down for the long haul.

With the duo of Chase Young and Montez Sweat along the edges, the Washington Football Team already has a stalwart defensive front for the foreseeable future. Young and Sweat compose one of the league’s most exciting EDGE duos, but even beyond that, the line boasts a near incomprehensible amount of talent.

On the interior, Matt Ioannidis — the team’s top interior sack-getter from 2019 — is set to return from injury. And alongside him, the first-round tandem of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne is gearing up for another productive season. Allen, in particular, has developed into one of the best interior linemen in the NFL. He’s widely respected, by friends and foes alike, and now, he has the contract to prove it.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Washington Football Team has signed Allen to a massive four-year extension. That extension includes $72 million owed to Allen over four years, with a $30 million signing bonus. The composite value averages out to $18 million a year — fourth-highest positionally behind Aaron Donald, DeForest Buckner, and Chris Jones. But for Allen, it’s worth it.

Jonathan Allen has proven his worth to the Washington Football Team

Allen, 26, has quickly morphed into one of the Washington Football Team’s best players. Hopes were high from the start, when Allen, widely viewed as the top defensive tackle in the 2017 NFL Draft, fell to Washington at No. 17 overall. The fall was largely due to fears surrounding a potentially degenerative shoulder condition, but Allen hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down.

So far in his career, Allen has started in all 52 games he’s played in. Over that span, the Alabama product has amassed 202 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 17.0 sacks, a pass deflection, and two fumble recoveries. In 2020, Allen had 63 total tackles and 2.0 sacks. He also notched career highs in pressures (24) and quarterback knockdowns (11).

The raw stats themselves are impressive, but Allen has been valuable even beyond those. He hasn’t been as dominant on the stat sheet as his contract implies, but on the tape, Allen’s value is clear. He’s a brick wall in run defense, and he’s also quickly become a seasoned pass rusher with heavy hands and an aggressive disposition. And as he enters his prime, with Young, Sweat, and others beside him, his three-down impact should only improve.

Even beyond his play on the field, Allen has become a leader off of it. That, perhaps more than anything else, gave the Washington Football Team the confidence to invest so much money in their star defender. Whatever the case, Allen’s future is locked in. He’s been with Washington for four years, and he’ll stay with Washington for at least four more.