ESPN Trashes Vikings’ Large Free Agent Transfer

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Pictures.

You’ll be able to rely ESPN out on Jonathan Allen and his latest collaboration with the Minnesota Vikings.

ESPN Trashes Vikings’ Large Free Agent Transfer

The sports activities media big assigned Allen-to-Vikings a “D+” grade on Tuesday, mere hours after Allen signed on Minnesota’s dotted line.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports activities.

Most Vikings followers have been elated to land Allen, the membership’s first impactful three-technique defensive deal with on the roster in over a decade.

However ESPN’s Seth Walder didn’t prefer it — not one bit. “I don’t love giving Allen $20 million per year, anyhow (although, again, we haven’t seen the guarantees yet). Allen, 30, missed nine games last season with a torn pectoral muscle, returning in late December,” he wrote.

“His play has also dropped off. After recording 16.5 sacks and reaching the Pro Bowl twice over 2021 and 2022, Allen has just 8.5 regular season sacks over the past two years (albeit in only 24 games). It’s not just the sacks, though. In 2021 and 2022, Allen was a top-10 pass rush win rate defensive tackle; last season, he had an 8% pass rush win rate at defensive tackle, below average for the position.”

Minnesota Vikings Normal Supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah joined Paul Allen to speak about quite a lot of subjects, together with previewing the Week 8 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. October twenty second, 2024. MIN completed 14-2 within the 2024 common season.

The Washington Commanders lately launched Allen, so his addition to Minnesota’s 2025 depth chart received’t have an effect on the Vikings’ compensatory draft choose components.

Walder continued, “His playing time dipped, too, from 79% of defensive snaps in games played in 2023 to 60% in 2024, in part due to the addition of rookie Jer’Zhan Newton.”

“I’ve underestimated the defensive tackle market this year — it’s somewhat surprising given the strong defensive tackle draft class — but given the signs of decline, Allen does not fit the profile of a player I’d want to be spending on.”

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Pictures.

About an hour after the Allen transfer, Minnesota reportedly closed a take care of defensive deal with Javon Hargrave, so the Vikings are on deck to showcase two premium, albeit older, inside defensive linemen.

Heading into a brand new season, these are the Vikings defensive linemen:

DT: Javon HargaveDT: Jonathan AllenOLB: Dallas TurnerDT: Harrison PhillipsOLB: Andrew Van GinkelOLB: Jonathan Greenard

No fan is upset concerning the group, though Walder dampened the temper along with his Allen evaluation.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Pictures.

Right here’s Allen’s Professional Soccer Focus resume to this point:

2024: 56.0

2023: 59.7

2022: 80.1

2021: 84.9

2020: 78.4

2019: 60.5

2018: 69.7

2017: 78.2

On the peak of his powers, Allen is an elite pass-rushing defensive deal with.

Minnesota is probably going finished signing beginning defensive linemen, however common supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might signal yet another cornerback and maybe a second guard after he added Will Fries from the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday.

Walder was additionally the person who picked the Vikings to complete useless final in all NFL standings final season en path to the primary general choose within the draft. Minnesota received 14 video games as an alternative.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his every day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options friends, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple workforce, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as carefully because the NFL. 

All statistics supplied by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data supplied by OverTheCap.com.