Veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen is expected to play an important role for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 and beyond. After all, the team invested significantly in him this offseason, though that could ultimately haunt them earlier than anticipated.
Minnesota signed Allen to a three-year, $51 million contract, including $23.255 million in guaranteed money, a handful of days after the Washington Commanders released him. You know what they say: One man's trash is another's treasure. And apparently, the Vikings believe the 30-year-old is worth his weight in gold, contrary to their NFC rival.
Allen's price tag suggests Minnesota still sees him as the two-time Pro Bowler he once was, and they might be in for a rude awakening.
The Vikings won't get the return on investment they were hoping for from veteran DT Jonathan Allen
Availability hasn't necessarily been a concern throughout Allen's successful eight-year NFL career, though it was in 2024. He missed nine games after partially tearing his pec this past October and undergoing surgery. Nonetheless, that ostensibly doesn't bother the Vikings, considering they made him one of the highest-paid defensive tackles by average annual value (AAV).
We're no doctors here at FanSided. However, it's hard to envision Allen's health improving with age, especially as he accumulates more wear and tear in the trenches. Sure, you can argue his track record of appearing in 15-plus contests in all but two seasons makes this past campaign an anomaly. But Father Time operates on a different clock.
As we get older, our bodies deteriorate; it's natural. Allen may not physically be able to handle everything he was asked to do in Washington at 26 or 27 for the Vikings now. Typically, that'd be okay, yet it's not in this scenario, when Minnesota is paying him handsomely to produce.
The Vikings are seemingly betting Allen returns to pre-injury form. Meanwhile, he became a cap casualty in Washington following their failed attempt to trade him. How can two front offices have polar opposite evaluations of the same player?
Washington had an up-close view of Allen and elected to go in a different direction. Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave him a 54.6 overall grade last season, which ranked 119th of 219 qualifying interior defenders. While his pass-rushing was slightly above average, he struggled mightily to stop the run.
Minnesota has to hope that their gamble on Allen pays off. Not only do they have a substantial financial commitment but, for a team hoping to compete for a division crown again in the loaded NFC North, the depth is lacking on the defensive line behind the veteran. If it flops, that could put them on the wrong side of thin margins between the Packers, Lions and Bears.