Just under two weeks after attempting to trade him, the Washington Commanders are releasing veteran defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, adding a big name and a productive player to the free agent market.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Commanders informed Allen of his release Friday morning, giving the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle a chance to get into free agency early before the start of the legal tampering window on March 10 and the start of the new league year on March 12.
Previously, the Commanders gave Allen, who turned 30 on Jan. 16, permission to seek a trade. Nothing came about via trade, so Washington made the move Friday to cut him loose.
A first-round pick of Washington at No. 17 overall out of Alabama in the 2017 NFL Draft, Allen has put together an impressive career. Across 109 career games, Allen has 401 tackles, 60 tackles for loss, 42.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
He earned trips to the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022 during seasons in which he recorded 9.0 and 7.5 sacks, respectively.
Allen is coming off an injury-filled 2024 season, which limited him to eight games. Allen tore his pectoral muscle in Week 6 but was activated in Week 17 to play in the playoffs. He finished the year with just 19 tackles and three sacks.
Washington releasing Allen puts one of the top defensive linemen in football on the open market, which bodes very well for the Steelers, who have a significant need along their defensive line opposite Cameron Heyward. There’s seemingly a good chance that veteran defensive lineman and Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee Larry Ogunjobi is released to save some cap space, while veteran Isaiahh Loudermilk is set to hit free agency.
Though it remains to be seen what Allen’s asking price will be on the open market, the Steelers have defensive line coach Karl Dunbar as a connection with Allen. Dunbar coached Allen at Alabama in 2016 when the Crimson Tide won the national title and Allen cleaned up in individual honors. He won the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award, was the SEC’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and was a unanimous first-team All-American.
In his eight-year career, Allen has played 5,211 snaps and has generated 311 total pressures and 230 run stops, according to Pro Football Focus. Additionally, he’s played 2,965 snaps lined up in the B-gap, 1,764 snaps lined up over the tackle or outside, and another 352 snaps as a nose tackle in the A-gaps.
