Jonathan Allen had a stellar collegiate career at Alabama, winning two national championships. In his final season, he received several accolades, including SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Drafted 17th overall by Washington in the 2017 NFL Draft, Allen’s rookie season was cut short by a Lisfranc injury, limiting him to just five games. However, he has played at least 15 games in each of the past six seasons. Allen earned Pro Bowl selections in 2021 and 2022, amassing 22 sacks over the last three years, with a career-high of 9.0 in 2021. In his seven-year tenure with Washington, Allen has recorded 382 combined tackles (57 for loss), 39 sacks, and 111 quarterback hits.
The Colts boast a talent-rich defensive line. DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart are the starting defensive tackles. Buckner has been a cornerstone of Indy’s pass rush since his acquisition from the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, recording at least 50 total pressures in each of the past two seasons. Stewart, one of the league’s top run defenders, greatly impacted the defense, which struggled during his six-game PED suspension last season. The addition of free agent Raekwon Davis provides further depth behind Buckner and Stewart.
At defensive end, Samson Ebukam and Kwity Paye are expected to start, with depth provided by Dayo Odeyingbo, Tyquan Lewis, and rookie Laiatu Latu.
In 2023, the Colts set an Indianapolis-era record with 51 sacks, led by Ebukam and Paye with 9.5 and 8.5 sacks, respectively. Latu, who had 13 sacks at UCLA last season, is expected to boost the pass rush in 2024.
While Allen would enhance the Colts’ pass rush, a trade for him seems unlikely. The team has already invested heavily in Buckner, Stewart, and Davis this offseason. Buckner received a $46 million extension, Stewart re-signed for $39 million, and Davis signed a $14 million contract.
Even if a trade for Allen occurred, Buckner and Stewart would remain the starting defensive tackles, making it impractical to pay Allen $15.4 million in 2024 and $16.5 million in 2025 for a backup role. Thus, the defensive tackle position would become overly crowded. While the idea is enticing, a trade for Allen is improbable for the Colts. It doesn’t hurt to dream, though.
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