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The Minnesota Vikings paid big bucks to retain Byron Murphy, their No. 1 cornerback, on Monday. A day later, they reached another lucrative deal so that Murphy can have a new defensive teammate as former Washington Commanders star Jonathan Allen agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal, NFL Media reports.
Released by the Commanders ahead of 2025 free agency in a cost-cutting move, Allen turned 30 this January and missed half of the 2024 season with a torn pectoral. When healthy, however, he’s generally been one of the NFL’s top interior defenders. A two-time Pro Bowler, he racked up a combined 38 sacks and 57 tackles for loss from 2018-2023.
In Minnesota, Allen figures to take over as the Vikings’ top defensive lineman under coordinator Brian Flores. With veteran fill-in Jerry Tillery hitting free agency this week, the Vikings were expected to pursue a running mate for Harrison Phillips, who’s become something of a leader for the Minnesota defense during his three-year stint on the interior.
Prior to missing extensive time in 2024, Allen had been a durable mainstay of the Washington defense, missing just three games over his previous six seasons. His best year came in 2021, when he logged a career-high nine sacks and 30 quarterback hits.
