Former Alabama all-time great Jonathan Allen spurns one playoff team for another, and breaks the bank in the process

The former Alabama All-American was originally a first round selection by the Commanders in the 2017 NFL Draft. During his eight years in Washington, Allen was selected to two Pro Bowls. During that stretch, Allen finished with 401 total tackles, 42 sacks, 60 tackles for loss, and 118 quarterback hits.

Allen, who is still just 30 years old, was a former top recruit for the Crimson Tide. During his career in Tuscaloosa, Allen was selected as an All-American and was also voted the SEC Defensive Player of the Year during the 2016 season. He ended his college career with 153 total tackles, 46 tackles for loss, 28.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles.

For the Vikings, this is a huge signing. They needed some clear upgrades on the interior, and more than anything, they need to find impact players in that spot. Allen brings that in a big way.

Minnesota also was able to get Allen on a pretty reasonable contract. $20 million per year sounds like a lot, and it is in a vacuum. When you compare it to the other top defensive linemen in the NFL, however, it’s very reasonable. Allen will be tied as the sixteenth highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL along with Dallas Cowboys standout Osa Odighizuwa.

On the Commanders side, losing Allen isn’t ideal. That’s both from a production perspective, and with his leadership as well. While they still have Daron Payne in the fold, the Commanders had to overpay for Javon Kinlaw in free agency. The hope is that second-year pro Jer’Zhan Newton takes a big step forward in 2025.