Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen has seen a lot of changes since he was drafted by the team in 2017. New quarterbacks, new team names, and new coaches have all come through during Allen's time, but he feels like this year may be the best he's ever been a part of.
Sitting down with NFL Network, Allen described the differences between the old regime and the new regime he's currently with, and it's safe to say it's night and day.
“The vibe is amazing,” Allen said. “It's something I feel like I haven't been a part of in a long time. I try not to get too excited. It's preseason and we still have a long way to go to where we want to get to, but it's fun every single day we come to work.
“This is a complete 180 of how it's been, and I'm just enjoying this ride.”
Allen was honest about the uncertainty surrounding a new era with the Commanders, but head coach Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., and general manager Adam Peters made him feel at ease.
“I was a little bit lost after the season,” Allen said. “Some of the advice that I was given is don't let what happened with the old regime affect the new regime. I came into it with an open mind, I sat down with Mr. Peters, coach Quinn, and coach Whitt, and was very honest about how things have been and I wanted to know how they expected things to go, and ever since I talked to coach Quinn, I loved it.”
The Washington Commanders are going into a new era
The Washington Commanders did indeed make a complete 180 with their franchise. With a completely new coach staff, they're looking to leave the past behind them and make the fans feel happy about what is to come. Not only is there a new coaching staff, but they drafted their quarterback of the future, Jayden Daniels. The Commanders also added Austin Ekeler in free agency, who has been one of the most dual-threat running backs in the league over the past several seasons.
Allen and the Commanders defense will be a lot different this year, and hiring a defensive-minded head coach will work wonders for them. They also added players such as Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong Jr. in free agency, so the trenches will play a major factor in how successful they'll be this season.
In the last two seasons, the Commanders have finished last in the NFC East, and this year they'll be looking to make some noise in the division and stay competitive. If Allen is correct about this new regime, there will be a lot of people shocked about what the team can do now and in the future.
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