During the prime of his career, former first-round star Jonathan Allen was considered one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league for the Washington Commanders.
Coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season, though, Allen's career appears to be reaching a fork in the road.
Washington released the Pro Bowl defensive tackle, and he was quickly snatched up by the Minnesota Vikings a week later. While the Commanders do still have Daron Payne to man the interior, it's no secret how important Allen's loss is.
Sports Illustrated writer Ryan Phillips believes that his departure is actually the biggest for the Commanders so far during free agency.
"A two-time Pro Bowler, Allen found a big contract when the Vikings handed him $51 million over three years this offseason. The 30-year-old only played in eight games during the 2024 campaign as a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him. Allen has fallen off a bit since his most recent Pro Bowl season in 2022 but is still a formidable presence up front," Phillips writes.
In eight seasons in Washington, Allen has recorded 42 sacks while also picking off a pass. He helped the Commanders reach the playoffs twice during his career and was on the field for the team's surprise run to the NFC Championship game last season.
At 30 years old, though, Allen played in just eight games last season for a multitude of injuries.
That's not something Washington could easily ignore - especially with former second-round youngster Jer'Zhan Newton waiting in the wings.
Despite the concerns, though, moving on from a top player is always a gamble. And there's no guarantee this one works out for Washington either.
