A two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle might be added by the Chicago Bears if a few things line up perfectly during the regular season.
One NFL player who may soon want a trade is Washington Commanders veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. Bears general manager Ryan Poles will undoubtedly be phoning Allen to try to convince him to move to Chicago if that occurs.
Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler compiled a list of five players “who could request a trade next,” with Allen being close to the top of the list.
“Although the organization spent a first-round pick on him in 2017, Allen has been a mainstay along the Commanders line, the play of running mate Daron Payne and the addition of 2024 second-rounder Johnny Newton could see Allen request to be moved,” Fowler wrote on August 20.
Despite Allen’s numerous choices to the Pro Bowl, the club has not been able to win. John Ridgeway III offers depth, while moving Allen offers a chance to add a quality choice and see Payne’s future with Newton.
Could the Chicago Bears Trade Jonathan Allen, a DT for Commanders?
DT Jonathan Allen has 36.5 career sacks, the most official sacks by a defensive tackle in franchise history.
The Commanders have been discussing the notion of trading Allen more and more in recent months.
The Commanders will have to make a significant choice about Allen, who in 2021 agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract extension with Washington, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, who first revealed this information in May of 2024. He is owed $15.4 million in 2024 and $16.5 million in 2025, and he has two years left on his contract.
“Those with whom I have spoken anticipate that Washington will have to decide whether to consider trade interest, which it has previously rejected, or rework his contract at some point,” Fowler wrote on May 7.
The Commanders have a new leadership in place, led by defensive-minded Dan Quinn as head coach. Although it’s unclear how important Allen will be in Quinn’s plan, judging by his previous remarks, it’s possible that he doesn’t want to rebuild.
Allen has expressed his desire to avoid going “through another rebuild.”
Check out Jonathan Allen shedding Trent Williams and making the tackle. That's a serious big boy play. pic.twitter.com/3ooXj0LZLK
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) May 25, 2021
In December 2023, Allen was asked if he had ever thought about leaving Washington during an interview with 106.7 The Fan.
“One hundred percent,” was his response. “Well, if I claimed otherwise, I would be lying. I play this game to win, and I would definitely love to win here, but my main goal is to win,” Allen remarked. “I’ll always have that front and center in my mind, and everything I do in my career will be to ensure that I have a chance to succeed.”
At 29, Allen has never been a Super Bowl victor. The squad has only played in one postseason since being selected by Washington in the first round of the 2017 draft (they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round in 2021). He was selected to the Pro Bowl twice, in 2021 and 2022, and is considered one of the NFL’s top defensive tackles.
He added, “I’m not in the business of rebuilding, but again, who knows what the future holds.”
Therefore, it appears crucial how the Commander opens the 2024 regular season. In the event that the club has a poor start and drops multiple games, dealing Allen appears to be a better course of action.
Bears Insider: DTs Will Probably Be Needed Eventually
The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs reports that the Bears are keeping an eye on defensive tackle.
Biggs said on August 21 that “I imagine the Bears will be keeping a close eye on defensive tackles hitting the waiver wire or veterans who are cut and immediately become free agents.” “If a player is projected as a rotational backup, the Bears could always trade a late-round pick for them.”
After veteran DT Justin Jones left this offseason, the Bears have not added another DT, therefore they will probably look to Gervon Dexter to step up in 2024. It makes reasonable to use the waiver to look for inexpensive help.
Nevertheless, the Bears must be among the favorites to acquire Allen if he makes a trade request. Allen recorded 53 tackles (10 for loss), 5.5 sacks, and 19 quarterback hits in 16 games during the previous campaign. Chicago’s defensive line would be greatly strengthened by that level of output.
At this time, it’s all just chatter and hearsay, but if you’re a Bears fan, you should keep an eye on Allen’s status going forward.
An intriguing update on Kiran Amegadjie is provided by Ryan Poles.
Kiran Amegadjie, an offensive tackle with the Chicago Bears, is allegedly signing his rookie contract.
Details of the deal are available via NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, and they include:
$1.121 million as a signing incentive
A $50,000 annual workout bonus is offered from 2025 to 2027.
Deal value in total is $5.914 million.
Punter Tory Taylor became the first draft pick of the Bears to sign a rookie contract last week. And Kiran Amegadjie seems to be following closely behind him. UPDATED: The Bears have made it officially official. Please don’t stop!
The NFL has made it so simple to sign rookie contracts that the era of famous holdouts is long gone. Furthermore, it’s not as though someone like Kiran Amegadjie, a third-round selection by the Bears, was going to go on an extended holdout. Nonetheless, I think it’s noteworthy that Chicago’s football team is moving quickly to finalize rookie contracts. Particularly because I can still remember how embarrassing it was for Jaquan Brisker, a 2022 second-round pick, to sign somewhat later than his fellow draftees.
Bears and Kiran Amegadjie will engage in a game of waiting.
Don’t panic, but rookie offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie of the Chicago Bears will miss summer practices due to a quad injury. He was not present at Halas Hall for last weekend’s rookie minicamp. The injury did not develop overnight. Actually, Amegadjie’s quad injury from last season—which required surgery to fix—may have been the main factor in his draft stock plummeting to the point where the Bears were able to choose him with a third-round pick. Amegadjie has a lot going for him, but I see why some teams might be hesitant to sign a player with a history of injuries.
As one of the most intriguing prospects in the Bears selection class, Kiran Amegadjie ticks a lot of my boxes. Amegadjie’s physical attributes are his height (36 1/8 inches), weight (323 pounds), and agility. The Hinsdale native and Yale alumnus was an Ivy League player who was named to the first team of the conference twice and was a two-time first-team FCS All-American. A profile like that is created by combining stature, athleticism, and Ivy League intelligence. Still, there’s no pressing need to get him onto the field.
Because of the players on the depth chart that were ahead of Amegadjie as a rookie, I didn’t have high expectations for him. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright are the starting tackles on the Bears’ roster. In the meanwhile, Matt Pryor, Ryan Bates, Jake Curhan, and Larry Borom provide valuable depth. As a result, the Bears can proceed cautiously and gradually with Kiran Amegadjie’s development.
Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus expressed optimism that the rookie offensive tackle would be practicing at training camp this summer, though he did not provide a timeline for his return. On that front, let’s cross our fingers.
