The Green Bay Packers don’t have a lot of holes on the roster, but the defense’s inability to stop the run at the point of attack has been a thorn in the team’s side for multiple years.
New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is likely to make improving that facet of the unit a priority ahead of the 2024 campaign, but adding talent with that specific skill set would go a long way toward the end goal of stiffening up against opposing rushing attacks.
Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department suggested a potential solution via a trade with the Washington Commanders for two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.
“After ranking just 23rd in rushing yards allowed last season, the Packers should look to strengthen their defensive front,” BR wrote on May 13. “Few quality defensive tackles remain unsigned, so making a trade offer for Washington’s Jonathan Allen could be Green Bay’s best option.”
Jonathan Allen Appears Ready for Change to Organization Poised to Win
Allen has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $72 million contract and has expressed extreme displeasure with the state of the Commanders, including a tirade following the team’s Week 7 loss to the NFC East Division rival New York Giants last October.
Jonathan Allen is not happy after Commanders loss. "They whupped our ass, plain and simple." pic.twitter.com/7BaGsfkDWg
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) October 22, 2023
“I’m [bleeping] tired of this s***,” Allen told reporters after the loss, per JP Finlay of NBC Sports. “I’m [bleeping] tired of this bulls***. It’s been seven [bleeping] years of the same s***.”
Beyond Allen’s frustration due to his time in Washington — which presumably indicates a willingness, if not an explicit desire, to move on — the two-time Pro Bowler (2021, 2022) will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported earlier this month about speculation around the NFL as to whether the Commanders are on the brink of entertaining trade offers for their star DT, who will cost approximately $21.5 million and $23 million against the organization’s salary cap over the next couple years as it navigates a rebuild.
“The people I’ve talked to believe Washington will need to either rework his contract eventually or decide whether it will entertain trade interest, which it has rebuffed in the past,” Fowler said.
Packers’ Looming Decision on Kenny Clark Will Impact Roster Decisions on Defensive Line
Washington parted with Montez Sweat, Allen’s teammate on the defensive line, sending him to the Chicago Bears ahead of the 2023 trade deadline in return for a second-round pick.
Green Bay currently owns all of its selection in the 2025 NFL draft, though the value of its 2025 second-rounder will be different than that of the Bears’ in 2024, considering how good the Packers were down the stretch last season and how good they project to be in the upcoming year.
That could bring a late first-round pick into the discussion, or potentially a second-rounder plus some other draft asset — either of which may be more than the Packers are willing to spend on a 29-year-old defensive tackle with an expensive cap number in each of the following two seasons.
In the end, Green Bay’s interest in Allen will depend on what the team decides to do with Pro Bowl DT Kenny Clark. The Packers face a tough call on Clark’s future as he enters the final year of his $70 million deal and carries a salary cap hit of $27.5 million in 2024 — by far the highest on the roster.
If they keep and/or extend Clark, adding another expensive interior player of the defensive line is all the way off the table. If they cut or trade Clark with a post-June 1 designation, saving $17 million against the 2024 cap in the process, Allen could make considerable sense for a team with immediate Super Bowl aspirations.
However, general manager Brian Gutekunst could also decide that second-year players Karl Brooks or Colby Wooden are adequate enough to replace Clark if the team decides to move on, which would also render a deal for Allen unnecessary.
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