On February 19, the NFL dropped a bombshell announcement: the salary cap for 2025 is set to jump by around $22 million, reaching between $277.5 million and $281.5 million. For teams like the Washington Commanders, who already have nearly $100 million in cap space and are coming off their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991, it’s a huge win.
According to USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, the Commanders could free up even more space with a bold move—cutting 2-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. While that might seem surprising, considering Washington’s third-largest cap space ($75.2 million), Allen’s $22.35 million cap hit might not justify his play compared to other top-tier players in his position.
With young talent like second-round pick Jer’Zhan Newton ready to step in alongside Daron Payne, releasing Allen could save Washington a hefty $16.47 million. This move could give the team the flexibility to lock in a blue-chip free agent or perhaps bring back proven veterans like Dante Fowler and Bobby Wagner, who played on one-year contracts in 2024 worth a combined $9.75 million.
The Commanders could leverage that cap space to further strengthen their roster heading into 2025. It’s a risky move, but one that could pay off big in the long run.
It’s unfortunate timing for Jonathan Allen, as the Commanders are finally becoming legitimate contenders just as he heads into his ninth season. Over the past decade, he’s arguably been one of the NFL’s top interior defensive linemen, despite playing on some truly bad teams.
Before 2024, Allen’s only taste of postseason action came in 2020, when Washington squeaked into the playoffs with a 7-9 record, only to lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Round. The 12-5 record in 2024 marked the team’s first winning season with Allen on the roster.
Allen, drafted 17th overall in 2017 out of Alabama, made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2021 and 2022, totaling 127 tackles, 16.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, and 47 quarterback hits. He signed a 4-year, $72 million extension before the 2021 season, solidifying his status as one of the league’s premier defensive linemen.
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