The Washington Commanders could use a player like defensive tackle Jonathan Allen right now — unfortunately they’re watching their former 1st-round pick resurrect his career with another team chasing much bigger goals than his old one.
Allen has teamed with NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on the Cincinnati Bengals to form arguably the NFL’s elite interior defensive line unit outside of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 1-2 punch of Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.
After being released by the Commanders before the 2025 season and by the Minnesota Vikings in March, Allen signed a 2-year, $28 million contract with the Bengals, who are off to a 2-0 start after wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans.
“Jonathan Allen with another great performance on Sunday,” Bengals & Brews wrote on its official X account after the win over the Texans. “One of the least discussed, yet most pivotal pickups of the offseason in Cincinnati.”
“Jonathan Allen is AWESOME,” Bengals reporter Anthony Cosenza wrote on his official X account. “Locker room leader, still highly-skilled on the field.”
“The Bengals’ defensive line has 15 quarterback pressures (against Texans) … Jonathan Allen has six of those,” Big Sarge Media wrote on its official X account.
“I’m starting to think that Jonathan Allen was used incorrectly on the Vikings last year like a few people hinted at,” EAB wrote on their official X account. “He looks like he’s been transported back to 2021.”
Commanders Made Allen Salary Cap Casualty
Allen signed a 3-year, $51 million contract with the Vikings in March 2025 after the Commanders released him to free up $16.5 million in salary cap space.
The Vikings did the same thing just 1 year later.
“$8M of Jonathan Allen’s 2026 salary is fully guaranteed,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti wrote on X. “An outright release by the Vikings here frees up $6.5M, while a Post 6/1 Designation can open up $11.2M (in June).”
Unpopular Move to Release Former 1st Round Pick
ESPN called out the decision to let Allen go — especially after the Commanders signed free agent defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw to a 3-year, $45 million contract.
Allen was playing with the Commanders on a 4-year, $72 million contract extension signed before the 2021 season.
“Signing Kinlaw to a three-year deal averaging $15 million per year with $30 million fully guaranteed was a head-scratcher,” ESPN’s Seth Walder wrote in July 2025. “Kinlaw has largely disappointed since being drafted in the first round in 2020; even with Kinlaw having a career season in 2024 this is a clear overpay … paying Kinlaw this much to replace (Allen) doesn’t make sense.”
Allen was selected in the 1st round (No. 17 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft after an All-American career at Alabama and played his 1st 8 seasons for the Commanders.
In those 8 seasons, Allen played in the postseason twice, but was mostly missing during the Commanders’ magical 2024 season and run to the NFC Championship Game, when he missed 9 games with a partially torn pectoral muscle but still managed 19 tackles and 3.0 sacks in 8 games.
Allen was able to return in Week 17 and the playoff run.
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