Patriots Named Top Trade Fit for Commanders Star

Will the New England Patriots pursue a trade for this Washington Commanders star?

Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (93) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots could certainly afford to beef up their defensive line this offseason, and a perfect target may have just emerged to help them do that: Washington Commanders star Jonathan Allen.

The Commanders have granted Allen permission to seek a trade, which will likely spell the end of his eight-year tenure in Washington.

Christian D'Andrea of USA Today has listed off five of the most likely potential trade destinations for Allen, and the Patriots made the list.

"Allen may not fit New England’s timeline, but would likely cost little in the way of draft capital (a mid-draft selection) and could easily be absorbed into the team’s cap space," D'Andrea wrote. "He’d be a much-needed adult in the room for a team going through a youth movement. Acquiring Allen would mean dropping a reliable, above-average starter to a lineup with few of them."

Allen missed half the 2024 campaign due to a torn pectoral muscle, finishing with 19 tackles and three sacks in eight games.

The 30-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Alabama, was selected by Washington with the 17th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.

It didn't take Allen long to establish himself as a force, as he posted 61 tackles and eight sacks as soon as his sophomore campaign.

He then went on to make back-to-back trips to the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022, setting a career-high with nine sacks in the former season.

Is Allen the same player he was a few years ago? Probably not, but he would still represent a major upgrade along New England's defensive line.

The question is whether or not the Pats would actually want to surrender potentially valuable assets for an aging player who isn't incredibly cheap. He carries a $22.4 million cap hit for 2025.

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