Jonathan Allen on Contract Year With Washington: ‘This Is Where I Want to Stay'

Jonathan Allen on contract year: WFT 'is where I want to stay' originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Washington defensive tackle Jonathan Allen is in the final year of his five-year rookie deal, and up until now has remained tight-lipped about his future with the Burgundy and Gold beyond this season. But in a recent story by the Washington Post, he revealed his desire to remain in D.C. beyond 2021.

“It’s always been my dream to play my career in one spot. I understand football is tough — it’s a process — but we’re moving in the right direction, from the front office to the players, and I love everything that we’re building here," Allen told the Post's Nicki Jhabvala. “This is my home. This is where I want to stay.”

Last year, Washington picked up the one-year option on the contract of Allen, the 17th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, as all first-round draft picks include a team option for another year.

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He comes with a great story and Jhabvala's feature focusing on his work giving back to a community he was once a part of, homeless youth, is further proof of how much of a good character guy like him would be great for the locker room moving forward. 

But his on-field production is all the more reason why general manager Martin Mayhew might be keen to extend him. After 16 teams passed on Allen in the draft due to his arthritic shoulders, a condition that certainly worsens with more collisions in a position like Allen's, he's become a vital part of a defense that allowed the second-fewest yards per game last season. 

No. 93 featured in a career-high 809 snaps and finished level with Young second on the team with 24 quarterback pressures in 2020. While his stats are by no means gaudy, his impact is large, which could mean his extension could come at a high cost. But on a defense that boasts Montez Sweat, Daron Payne and 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young, all defensive linemen taken in the drafts after Allen's, his extension won't be straightforward. 

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