Before NFL free agency, the Washington Commanders released long-time defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. The two-time Pro Bowler spent all eight seasons of his pro career playing for the team he grew up rooting for as a childhood native of Ashburn, Virginia.
Now he's a free agent, and has already met with one team that could use his services. The Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings, coming off a season in which they went 14-3 but lost to the Los Angeles Rams on Wild Card weekend, seem to be an ideal landing spot for Allen. He would be playing for Kevin O'Connell, who was Washington's offensive coordinator in 2019 and quarterbacks coach for two years before that. Though he never coached Allen's side of the ball in D.C., he is well familiar with the defensive veteran and his strengths as a leader on and off the field.
Jonathan Allen could join the Vikings after Commanders departure
Allen, should he end up joining the Vikings, would become part of a defensive unit that was among the best in the league in 2024. Minnesota ranked second in the NFL in Pro Football Reference's "expected points contributed" statistic on that side of the ball, trailing only the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings also gave up the second-fewest rushing yards in the league, with 1,588.
Minnesota's linebacker core is an obvious strength, with two double-digit sack men in Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel — both 2024 Pro Bowlers. The defensive line is a bit less stacked. That is where Allen would come in.
Fellow veteran Harrison Phillips is the Vikings' headliner on that unit. If the 2017 first-rounder can return to form, he could give Minnesota a dynamic duo.
The Commanders, meanwhile, have already found their Allen replacement. They signed former San Francisco 49er and New York Jet Javon Kinlaw to a three-year deal worth $45 million. Some may consider the contract a bit overpriced at first glance, but he has been a productive player when healthy and Washington has gotten great return on investment from its signings thus far in the Adam Peters era.
It would be best to reserve judgment until Kinlaw takes the field.
Allen's presence will be missed in D.C., but it was the right time to move on. Washington fans should wish him all the best as he seeks a new home to continue his NFL career, and it looks like he might already be close to finding it.