Washington Commanders stud defensive lineman Jonathan Allen has been given permission by the team to seek a trade, according to multiple reports, an area of need for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Allen is coming off an injury-marred 2024 campaign, appearing in eight games. He finished the year with 19 tackles and three sacks before tearing his pec muscle in October and going on season-ending injured reserve. He missed the Week 10 game against the Steelers. Durable until this past season, Allen played in at least 15 games from 2018-2023.
A two-time Pro Bowler, his best season came in 2021 when he nearly touched double-digit sacks and registered 30 QB hits. Washington has developed one of the NFL’s better defensive lines in large part due to its draft investments. Allen was a first-round pick in 2017 while Da’Ron Payne was a first rounder the following year. The organization also selected Johnny Newton in the second round of the 2024 draft.
Having just turned 30, Allen is older than what’s ideal for a Steelers team looking to get younger. But Pittsburgh clearly needs defensive line help and Allen is one of the most talented options available. He’s also one of the costliest. If traded for, his cap number will be $16.4 million, a number Pittsburgh could technically afford but probably wouldn’t want to take on.
If unable to find a trade partner, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Commanders cut Allen. That could bump the odds of Pittsburgh adding him on a cheaper deal without giving up draft picks. Still, drafting a defensive lineman in the first two rounds makes more sense than anything else, especially given the wealth of talent in what’s considered one of the deepest draft classes at the position in years. The defensive linemen will work out at the NFL Scouting Combine Thursday, offering a great glimpse into Pittsburgh’s options.
