Film review: Did the Vikings ‘find value’ in new defensive linemen Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave?

A telling location was the backdrop to the first meeting between new Vikings defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.

“I met Jonathan like a couple years ago at the Pro Bowl,” Hargrave told local reporters on a video call last week. “We actually exchanged numbers.”

The Vikings shelled out roughly $42 million guaranteed at signing to add Allen and Hargrave, two former Pro Bowl players, in their quest to shore up the trenches this offseason (the Vikings also paid to repair the offensive line by signing ex-Colts blockers Will Fries and Ryan Kelly).

Hargrave, 32, and Allen, 30, are on the tail ends of their careers and coming off season-altering injuries last season. But when healthy, they have been among the most disruptive interior pass rushers in the league.

In their last full seasons in 2023, Hargrave and Allen ranked 12th and 14th in quarterback pressures by interior defenders, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s in the neighborhood of familiar Vikings foes like the Colts’ DeForest Buckner and the Titans’ Jeffery Simmons.

And now they’re joining Pro Bowl edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel in Minnesota.

“You just see [the Vikings] making a real emphasis just getting the trenches, getting deep in the trenches,” Hargrave said. “Philly, Pittsburgh, San Fran, they all believe in the same thing, and that’s one of the things [the Vikings] believe in, too.”

The trenches cost big bucks these days, in part because of how they’ve tilted the scales for Super Bowl-contending teams like the Eagles and Lions.

“I think it’s definitely big now,” Hargrave said. “Of course, you can now tell the money done jumped up for the defensive tackles.”

The Vikings’ financial commitment to Allen and Hargrave shouldn’t be understated. They agreed to pay $17 million and $15 million annually to players on the back ends of their careers, banking on their medical staff, coaching and culture to maximize what each can still offer.

But Allen and Hargrave are each making less than their previous deals; Allen is now tied for 17th in average salary among DTs (down from 14th), while Hargrave ranks 20th (down from 12th), per OverTheCap.com.

Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said they sought value in both players due to age and recent injuries. Hargrave missed 14 games last year due to a torn triceps in Week 3, while Allen missed nine games midseason because of a torn pectoral muscle.

“Typically [free agent signings] could be getting better and you’re buying kind of when they’re arrow up still,” Adofo-Mensah said. “With veterans, it can be a different situation where because of something — it can be an injury or an age — they’re being discounted. So, it’s always about a value creation-type thing. Sometimes that comes from young, sometimes that comes with old. ... We’re always trying to find value.”

Allen, a 2017 first-round pick out of Alabama, returned for the final five games of Washington’s season, including all three playoff games.

“Wasn’t as bad as anybody anticipated or as bad as the MRI had shown,” Allen said. “I’d say [after] about 10 to 12 weeks, I was benching 85 percent of my max before. So, once the playoffs came around I was pretty much healthy. The only thing I had to really kind of get back in was football-playing shape. No matter how much you’re doing the StairMaster or running ... there’s no way to simulate.”

Allen’s best statistical game last season came in Washington’s playoff win in Detroit, where he was credited by PFF with a season-high seven quarterback pressures on Jared Goff.

Allen consistently won the edge on Lions left guard Graham Glasgow, often collapsing the pocket when given the chance in one-on-one opportunities. But he was also frequently targeted by protection schemes that chose to double him on pass-rushing downs.

At this point in his career, Allen did not appear to be the most disruptive run defender. But he was still a consistent presence that both Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had to be aware of when trying to run up the middle.

Off the field, Allen became a team captain at Alabama and during his eight NFL seasons in Washington.

“I put a lot of responsibility on myself to prove [the Vikings] right,” Allen said. “They don’t give contracts out like this easily.”

Power comes to mind often when watching Allen (6-foot-3, 300 pounds) and Hargrave (6-foot-2, 305 pounds). Neither are considered especially large for interior defenders. But both play with heavy hands — Allen can shed particularly well — and have the ability to bull rush a guard or center into the backfield.

But both are accustomed to being the focus of O-line pass protections.

Hargrave only played three games last year, but the first two came against Jets tackle Tyron Smith and Vikings tackle Christian Darrisaw. That meant both the Jets and Vikings could double Hargrave more often. Allen got the same treatment at times.

Both defenders said they were looking forward to playing in Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ pressure schemes.

“He creates a lot of one-on-ones,” Hargrave said, “just by blitzing and switching things up. ... I’m just excited to see and learn the defense and try to fit in.”

Despite being smaller than Vikings left guard Blake Brandel (6-foot-6, 315 pounds), Hargrave had the upper hand in Minnesota’s Week 2 win against San Francisco. In the video below, Hargrave uses a quick acceleration at the snap to power through Brandel’s chest and into the backfield.

Hargrave’s three games last year offered a mixed bag against the run. He has been a poorly graded run defender by PFF since 2020, his first season after leaving Pittsburgh, where he was a 2016 third-round pick.

Against the Jets in Week 1, Hargrave successfully forced cutbacks and chased down running back Breece Hall on an outside zone run. Hargrave’s physicality stood out against solo zone blockers.

“You earn respect by hitting somebody in the mouth,” said Vikings running back Jordan Mason, who was also Hargrave’s teammate in San Francisco. “We’ve collided a few times before in camp. We respect each other and whatnot. I admire his game. I’ve seen him a few times in the backfield.”

But at the end of the video below, you’ll see how the Vikings fared better against Hargrave in the run game. His eagerness to get on Brandel’s outside shoulder led to him getting easily pinned on a long Aaron Jones run, and Hargrave was also washed out when doubled. He’s likely not going to be an anchor, but that’s why the Vikings have Harrison Phillips, Jalen Redmond and Taki Taimani.

Hargrave was credited by PFF with a season-high five QB pressures in his last game: Week 3 vs. the Rams. Below you’ll see one of those pressures when the Rams offensive line slides away from him, giving him a one-on-one opportunity that he wins.

Once again, when given the chance to attack a solo zone blocker, Hargrave ends up victorious when putting Rams center Beaux Limmer on his back. Rams running back Kyren Williams breaks contain against Hargrave’s teammates, but Williams had no cutback lane (if contained) because of the pursuit by Hargrave and linebacker Fred Warner.

To get exclusive analysis on the Vikings in your inbox, sign up for the free Access Vikings newsletter. Email your Vikings questions to accessvikings@startribune.com.