Getty Washington Commanders defensive lineman Jonathan Allen was called a "dream" trade target for the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Cincinnati Bengals have a hole to plug on the defensive line with D.J. Reader set to hit free agency once the new league year begins on March 13.
Could the front office do so via trade? Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox outlined his “dream” trade scenario for the Bengals this offseason and it revolved around Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.
“Trading for Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen would give the Bengals one of the league’s best interior defenders,” Knox wrote. “While acquiring the two-time Pro Bowler would be costly—probably a high Day 2 pick at least—he would instantly boost Cincinnati’s run defense and interior pass rush.”
That could mean sending pick No. 49 to Washington for the $72 million starter that has two years left remaining on his current contract.
The Bengals now have a little over $48.5 million in projected cap space according to Over the Cap, making Allen’s $14 million base salary “more than reasonable” in Knox’s eyes. He added that while the Commanders “shouldn’t be eager to move Allen,” the 29-year-old defender also doesn’t seem interested in being a part of their latest rebuild.
“If he is adamant about playing elsewhere, the Bengals could cash in by giving him a new home,” the Bleacher Report analyst concluded.
Potential Bengals Trade Target Jonathan Allen Has Been Model of Consistency With Commanders
The best thing about this trade target is that the Bengals would know exactly what they’re acquiring in Allen.
The former Alabama star has started 15 or more games in every season since his rookie campaign. He’s also remained relatively consistent across the stat sheet.
According to Pro Football Focus, Allen has registered 47 or more quarterback pressures and 32 or more key defensive “stops” in each of the past four seasons. The height of his pass rushing production came in 2021, with 67 pressures and 9.0 sacks, while the height of his run-stuffing impact came in 2022 (43 stops and 16 tackles for a loss).
For reference, the Bengals top defensive tackle in 2023 was B.J. Hill in terms of overall production. He finished with just 42 QB pressures and 22 defensive stops on PFF.
Having said that, Reader was on pace to potentially beat out Hill before his injury. He finished with 34 QB pressures and 22 defensive stops in just 14 starts.
It’s unclear if Reader’s torn quad will impact his on-field ability in 2024 and beyond. This is the second quad tear of the veteran’s career, although the 2023 injury was the first to his right leg.
Commanders Insider Doubts Team Will Trade Jonathan Allen Ahead of 2024 Season
The Athletic’s Commanders beat writer Ben Standig provided the latest combine rumblings on Allen on March 4.
“What happens with two-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Allen remains the most fascinating signal of the organization’s plans,” Standig began. “There has been no loud chatter from the Commanders about moving Allen, but the rumor mill in Indianapolis made some noise about a possible trade.”
While the reporter called it “unlikely” that new head coach Dan Quinn would want to breakup Allen and fellow DT Daron Payne — which he referred to as “the defense’s strength” — he did acknowledge that the integral defender has been “very frustrated” about the direction of the franchise in recent years.
“Perhaps the [combine trade] rumor was merely an echo from last season when the buzz about Allen possibly getting traded at the 2023 midseason deadline was legitimate,” Standig concluded, noting that the Commanders “seemed uninterested in moving” Allen last fall.
Of course, there’s a new general manager and coach at the helm in Washington now.