If the Washington Commanders are to overthrow the Philadelphia Eagles next season, they'll likely have to upgrade a defense that couldn't stop running back Saquon Barkley.
Veteran lineman Jonathan Allen, however, will not be part of that solution.
Allen, 30, missed nine games this season with a torn left pectoral muscle that was initially said to be season-ending. But during surgery, doctors discovered the tear was not as severe as feared, allowing him to work back into the lineup.
In an almost heroic comeback, Allen played in the final two regular-season games as well as Washington's three playoff contests. He finished with three sacks, three tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits. In eight seasons with Washington, he has recorded 42 sacks in 108 starts.
But at this week's NFL Scouting Combine, the Commanders made it clear that Allen is not part of their future plans. General manager Adam Peters, in fact, confirmed that the team has given Allen permission to find a trade partner, effectively ending his eight-year run with the Commanders.
"He's been a great player, a great person for this franchise," Peters said of Allen. "Everything's still on the table in terms of whether it's trade or staying here or whatever. We're still going through that. It's kind of early in the stages. We haven't done a lot of exploring yet, but that's kind of where we're at right now."
By parting with Allen, a two-time Pro Bowler with a salary cap hit of $22.3 million, Washington would save $16.3 million in cap space whether he is traded or released before June 1. The Seattle Seahawks are projected to be interested in Allen.
The Commanders drafted him 17th overall in the 2017 draft. Two years ago he was supposed to be a part of Washington's fearsome defensive front that would help turn the organization around alongside Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
