The Washington Commanders saw the writing on the wall with Jonathan Allen. General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn decided that the production no longer matched the paycheck, and they released the Pro Bowl defensive tackle when no willing suitor came forward.
Allen wasn't out of work for long, signing a lucrative deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Kevin O'Connell knew the player well from their time working together in Washington, and a new challenge was expected to bring a new lease of life out of the former Alabama standout.
Sadly, it didn't work out as anyone had hoped. Allen struggled to generate any positive momentum. The elite explosiveness that saw him become one of the league's best interior forces regressed considerably. These signs were evident throughout his final years in Washington and were only exacerbated in Minnesota.
Jonathan Allen's first season away from the Commanders didn't go well
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus named Allen as the Vikings' worst offseason signing. The analyst didn't think his production moved the needle for Brian Flores' defense, which was deeply disappointing for someone who received a three-year, $51 million contract with a $14 million signing bonus and $31.25 million in guaranteed money.
"[Jonathan] Allen is one of those aforementioned big signings, but he didn’t move the needle in his first year with Minnesota. The former Commander did accrue 34 pressures, but he notched just a 45.4 PFF run-defense grade while missing 14.5% of his tackle attempts. All told, Allen’s 53.2 overall PFF grade was the worst of his nine-year career."Bradley Locker
Allen has some nice moments. But as was the case in Washington, both in Ron Rivera's final season as head coach and Quinn's first, the consistency wasn't up to the standards fans witnessed when he took the league by storm earlier in his career.
The 2017 first-round pick's cap number soars to $23.86 million in 2026, and the Vikings are projected to be $40.15 million over the cap right now. Releasing Allen doesn't seem feasible given the structure of his contract. That becomes much more viable in 2027, when the team can save $17.84 million with an early departure.
Until then, Minnesota will likely roll with the interior lineman and hope he finds enough to provide some semblance of optimism.
Whether Allen is capable or not is anyone's guess. His career trajectory is on the decline, and he recently turned 31. The Commanders didn't exactly set the world alight without his presence on the defensive line, but Peters was correct to cut the cord when he did.
The stakes have been raised for Allen. What comes next will have a significant impact on the tail-end of his NFL journey.