While addressing the media on October 14th, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced that standout defensive tackle Jonathan Allen would need to undergo surgery on a torn pectoral muscle, likely sidelining him for the remainder of the season.
“Jon has a pec tear, and it’s a big blow for us,” Quinn told the media just one day after the team’s 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. “Jon Allen’s, honestly, been a staple player here — his play style, the attitude. We’re really bummed for him as the man and the ball player. We’ll certainly miss him this season and he should likely get surgery in the days ahead.”
It is believed that Allen suffered the injury late in the third quarter of Sunday’s game on a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Derrick Henry. After leaving the contest, Allen was soon ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Where do the Commanders go from here?
This injury comes as a major blow to a defensive unit that has already had its fair share of struggles. Even with Allen in for the first six games of the season, the Commanders are 24th in passing yards allowed, 24th in rushing yards allowed, and 22nd in points allowed per game. Now, Washington will have to figure out how to navigate a highly competitive NFC without a lineman who played 62% of the team’s defensive snaps.
Head coach Dan Quinn told the media that several players will have to step up to match Allen’s production while the 29-year-old recovers from surgery.
“For sure it’ll be a multitude of people in roles and how we feature guys to do that because Jon’s rare. He’s got unique skills and talent,” Quinn said. “It’s not just plug-and-play. The good news is that we’ve got a big, deep crew and we’ll feature all of them a little bit differently in finding the ways that we can do that. But, we’ll certainly miss Jon — the strength, and the attitude that he brings inside.”
With the trade deadline set for November 5th, the 4-2 Commanders could try to make a splashy move to replace Allen’s production and keep pace in the NFC. There are a few players that could come in and have an immediate impact in Allen’s absence.
Arik Armstead
It would be expensive, but Armstead could slide right in and have a meaningful impact on the Commanders’ defense. There’s no way he is happy with his situation in Jacksonville, regardless of how much money the Jaguars are paying him. As a ten-year veteran in the NFL, Armstead has seen it all, having played all four positions on the defensive line. Long-term it could be a tough pill to swallow, but short-term it would help the defense recover from the loss of Allen.
Jeffrey Simmons
Another expensive option, but a trade for Simmons would immediately make up for Allen’s absence. Hell, it might even make the defense significantly better! At just 27 years old, Simmons is only two seasons removed from back-to-back second-team AP All-Pro honors. The Tennessee Titans are clearly going nowhere with their clown car quarterback situation, so they should be looking to build toward the future. If the Commanders wave a second and fifth-rounder in front of the Titans, that’ll be very hard to pass up.
Dalvin Tomlinson
Just like Armstead, Tomlinson could bring many years of experience to the Commanders’ defense. Cleveland is another team that has no real hope or aspirations right now, so they should be interested in selling off whatever assets they have. With the Deshaun Watson contract eating up so much cap space, Cleveland will likely be forced to build through the draft if they want to have any sort of success in the near future. If Washington offers up a pair of fifth-round picks, it might be too enticing for the Browns to pass up.
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