Giants Offensive Tackle Has Eye on Key Free Agent

“Dex and Jonathan Allen,” Eluemunor tweeted in response to a post about the Washington Commanders cutting their long-tenured defensive tackle.

Allen will instantly be one of the top names on the open market, and on its face, he makes sense for the Giants.

New York, more than arguably anything else on defense, needs a second defensive tackle to pair with superstar Dexter Lawrence. Allen is still a high-profile pass rusher who fits the Giants on a need and schematic basis.

“It’s never easy saying goodbye,” Allen wrote in a statement. “This franchise is all I’ve ever known. It’s been a part of my DNA for as long as I can remember, even before I was drafted here. This has always been my home, and I have always embraced everything that comes with representing the Washington Commanders on and off the field. Through both ups and downs, I am forever grateful for the opportunity this team gave me in 2017 as a 22-year-old kid. Believe me that’s never lost on me.”

While Allen is bound to have plenty of suitors – especially if he isn’t looking for a big deal – there are reasons to at least hesitate before diving in.

Allen tore his pectoral at midseason, but was tracking to have one of the worst seasons of his career. Entering his age-30 season, Allen’s best days are (probably) behind him, and overpaying for a declining defensive tackle is the kind of move Dave Gettleman would make and Schoen seems intent on avoiding.

He’s struggled against the run in recent years, lowering the floor if the pass-rushing prowess does go.

However, it’s ambitious to write off Allen completely. A healthy season could easily facilitate a bounce-back campaign, and New York could certainly stand to benefit from Allen being paired with the league’s best nose tackles. Subsequently, he was out third-ranked defensive tackle target for the Giants in free agency.