Jonathan Allen release expected as Vikings move to cut costs fast
jonathan allen is expected to be released by the Minnesota Vikings as the team looks for immediate salary-cap relief, with the move surfacing in the latest round of roster churn. The situation centers on Minnesota’s cap position heading into 2026 and the financial math tied to moving on from a high-cost veteran. As of 2: 00 PM ET, the expected decision is framed as part of a broader set of veteran-related moves being discussed around the club.
What’s happening now with Jonathan Allen
The Minnesota Vikings are expected to release defensive lineman jonathan allen, with the expectation attributed to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler. The decision lands after a one-season run in Minnesota following a major free-agent commitment.
Allen signed a three-year deal with Minnesota in 2025, with one figure cited as $60 million. Another account describes the contract as three years and $51 million after the Commanders released him during the prior offseason. What is consistent across the information available: the Vikings are operating under heavy cap strain and the move is designed to open room.
Minnesota is described as more than $40 million over the salary cap, and releasing Allen is listed as creating $6. 53 million in savings. One set of figures also outlines the cost of the exit: $17. 3 million in dead salary, while another breaks the dead-money number out as $17. 33 million.
Performance, cap math, and the bigger roster squeeze
On the field, Allen played every regular-season game in his only season with the Vikings. He recorded 68 tackles and 3. 5 sacks while logging 75. 9% of the defensive snaps, a rate described as the highest among Minnesota defensive linemen in 2025.
The cap arithmetic is driving the urgency. Allen is set to count $23. 86 million against the cap next season, and the release option described comes with limited immediate savings relative to the dead-money hit. A post–June 1 path is also outlined: $11. 2 million saved with $12. 66 million in dead cash.
The expected Allen move appears connected to a wider veteran reset. Vikings veterans Javon Hargrave and Aaron Jones were informed they will be released as well, and the team is also shopping pass-rusher Jonathan Greenard, who carries a $22. 6-million cap hit in 2026.
One additional personnel detail surfaced alongside the defensive-line reshuffling: defensive tackle Jalen Redmond will remain a key part of the interior, with Minnesota extending an exclusive rights contract offer earlier Wednesday and the sides expected to explore a long-term extension.
Immediate reactions and named voices
Jeremy Fowler, NFL insider, was the named individual tied to the expectation that Minnesota is releasing Allen.
Separately, Thor Nystrom of SKOR North, citing conversations at the NFL Scouting Combine, expressed doubt that Allen would remain on the roster in 2026, characterizing Allen’s future in Minnesota as far from secure.
From a team-building standpoint, the numbers cited for cap savings are attributed to Over the Cap, which is referenced for the $6. 53 million savings figure.
Quick context on how jonathan allen got here
The Washington Commanders selected jonathan allen in the first round of the 2017 draft, and he spent the first eight years of his career in Washington. He then joined Minnesota on a multi-year deal in 2025 and played a full season before the current expectation of a release.
What’s next
Next steps hinge on timing and accounting: Minnesota can proceed with a standard release that saves $6. 53 million, or potentially use the post–June 1 structure described to increase savings to $11. 2 million while reducing dead cash to $12. 66 million. For jonathan allen, the immediate outlook is a return to the market for a new team for the second straight offseason, while the Vikings’ broader cap-driven moves—releases and potential shopping of other veterans—remain the next dominoes to watch as of 2: 00 PM ET.
