The Washington Commanders dealt Montez Sweat last October as he neared the end of his contract, and they might be approaching a similar fork in the road with another of their standout defensive linemen.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Tuesday that some around the NFL “are wondering if Washington will ever consider offers” for interior defender Jonathan Allen.
“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 wrote.
Allen is signed for the next two years, so there isn’t quite the same urgency there was when Washington sent Sweat to the Chicago Bears. But this would be a good time to trade him if the Commanders aren’t sure about paying him a market-level extension. The two-time Pro Bowler could be looking at an average salary of $25 million or more based on the current climate.
Re-signing Allen would also mean tying up a lot of money in one area of the field. Washington already handed Daron Payne a four-year, $90 million deal.
When the team selected Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft, it looked like a case of potential forward planning. Newton was the No. 20 overall prospect and the second-best interior lineman on Bleacher Report’s big board. He’s somebody who should be able to slot into a starting role before too long.
Were the Commanders to move Allen or Payne at some point down the road, they’d already have the replacement waiting in the wings.
It’s been a long time since the Washington Commanders have been a serious playoff contender. Through years of poor ownership, Commanders fans have been forced to grow accustomed to a lack of quality in pretty much every aspect of the franchise.
However, with new owner Josh Harris in town, and the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, things are beginning to look a bit brighter. If Washington can nail this draft and find its next franchise quarterback, things will get a lot better in the nation’s capitol.
Luckily for the Commanders, they’ve got pretty much nothing holding them back at this point. With just shy of $44 million available in cap space, Washington is second to only the New England Patriots in that regard. There are only three contracts on the roster over $10 million a year, and all three will end after the 2025 or 2026 season.
Finally, the Commanders have a ton of draft capital this year. Washington has a whopping six picks within the first 100 overall selections, including three in the third round. With all that cap space and a boatload of valuable draft picks, this offseason could set the Commanders on the right track for years to come.
With that in mind, here are three players Washington should consider trading for, and two they should consider parting ways with.
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