Newly Available DT Interested in Playing for Vikings…

By    |  
Updated:
Follow Us
Jonathan Allen
Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

It’s NFL combine week, an event held annually in Indianapolis that is guaranteed to propel the excitement of the NFL offseason, as we move into free agency and, eventually, the draft. This week, at the NFL combine, the Minnesota Vikings are trying to get a better handle on what other teams plan to do over the next two months, and how that affects their own decision making.

Last season, the Vikings navigated to a surprise 14-3 final record, good for second-best in franchise history. And they did it despite moving on from Kirk Cousins and losing potential franchise quarterback J.J. McCarthy, within a 6-month timespan.

Jonathan Allen
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

But what hindered the Minnesota Vikings most toward the end of the season, and what ended one of the best runs we’ve ever witnessed as fans, was a serious weakness in both trenches. That’s why, over the course of the next 60ish days, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made it clear defensive tackle will be a priority position.

That’s where the news from this morning, that two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen is hitting the Washington Commanders trade block, got the attention of Vikings Twitter. Although he played just eight games last year, Allen has accumulated 401 tackles, 118 quarterback hits, 60 TFL and 42 sacks total sacks in his 8-year NFL career (109 games).

Last season general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah nailed the edge rusher position in letting Danielle Hunter go while bringing in Greenard and Van Ginkel. As previously mentioned, however, the interior of the defensive line was still a major problem. Allen, even at 30 years old, would answer a huge offseason question in Minnesota.

Jonathan Allen has interest in the Minnesota Vikings

But wait, it gets better. Not only should Allen be an obvious target for the Minnesota Vikings, given he plays at a position of such great need, but according to Darren “Doogie” Wolfson (KSTP) on SKOR North Tuesday, there’s already one report out there saying that Jonathan Allen would love to be traded here.

“Here’s what I would tell you. My sense is that he would have all sorts of interest in being a Minnesota Viking. A lot of players would have interest in being a Minnesota Viking. They have set up an infrastructure that lends itself to a lot of players having interest in being here. Whether the Vikings want to play ball, whether the Vikings reciprocate that interest remains to be seen. To suggest that Allen would have interest in the Vikings, I would say you are accurate in doing so.”

Darren Wolfson on Jonathan Allen (Skor North)

It’s not as though the Commanders are necessarily putting Allen out there. He is on the final year of a four-year contract that carries a cap hit of $22,352,941 in 2025. But he’s looking for a new deal and, being he is 30-years-old and coming off of injury, the extension price shouldn’t be impossibly high, like it might with some of the free agents out there.

The cost to land Allen is uncertain, but it’s not expected to be anything more than a day three pick. Maybe day two, if a bidding war takes place, but that’s probably unlikely, given his age and the term remaining on his deal.

Related: Vikings’ First Reported Meeting at NFL Scouting Combine is with a Defensive Tackle

That’s good, because Minnesota doesn’t have a significant amount of draft capital to play with. With just three draft picks to their credit at the moment, they may need to get creative if they want to make any trades this offseason.

Whoever the Minnesota Vikings sign up front on defense is expected to be paired with Harrison Phillips, between edge rushers Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. In other words, Jonathan Allen is exactly what Kwesi and defensive coordinator Brian Flores are looking for.

MN Vikings get scary up front with Jonathan Allen

Related: Successful Sam Darnold Experiment Proved Vikings Don’t Need Him in 2025

If it’s not Allen, the Vikings will be in the market for someone like him either through free agency or the draft. If they go the draft route, the hope would be that the player has an Allen-like trajectory. Simply trading for him would ensure a relatively projectable sense of production.

Brian Flores’ defense can continue to take strides this season. The turnover in the secondary can be mitigated by how capable the front controls the line of scrimmage. Opposing offenses certainly don’t want to see Allen added to that group.

Mentioned in this article:

More About:
0What do you think?Post a comment.