Should the Seattle Seahawks Go After Jared Allen?
By Todd Pheifer
Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen (69) reacts against the Detroit Lions in the second quarter at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings win 14-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Free agency is about to begin and the NFL landscape is going to change. Contracts will be announced, players will be changing teams and rumors will be fast and furious.
The Seattle Seahawks are going to be mentioned quite a bit in the next week. Until Michael Bennett and Golden Tate sign with the Seahawks (or someone else), there will be constant speculation on how negotiations are progressing. If either or both of those players sign elsewhere, there will be heavy discussion on who might replace them.
Could Jared Allen be a solution for the Seahawks? Do the Seahawks want to acquire yet another player that used to play for the Minnesota Vikings?
Allen is reportedly going to test free agency, and like many players at his stage he has stated that he wants to sign with a winner. Seattle would certainly fit the bill of a “winner.” However, players still want to get paid.
At 31, Allen is still a very productive player, having racked up 11.5 sacks in 2013. It seems unlikely that he would want to sign with Seattle for a minimal deal. There is also the question of whether he would be a good fit for Seattle’s defense. Talent and fit are not always the same thing.
In the Pete Carroll era, the Seahawks have been built with players that are young and affordable. In other words, pricey and old has not exactly been the model. Of course, the Seahawks were involved in trade rumors last October, so the interest in Allen may still exist.
There is the dilemma of dialogue and priorities. If the Seahawks wait to see what Bennett will do, Allen might already be gone. However, if the Seahawks aggressively pursue Allen and actually sign him, that might communicate to Bennett that the team is no longer interested in him. It seems unlikely that the team could afford both Allen and Bennett.
It may be that the Seahawks do not have a lot of interest in Allen, despite his career accomplishments. Bennett may be a better fit due to his versatility, and he is three years younger. At some point Allen is going to decline, and age can be very unkind in the National Football League. Still, Allen has been extremely durable and he may still be an effective pass rusher for the next 2-3 years.
Allen may be a long shot, but the Seahawks are going to be a desirable destination this off-season. Success has a way of becoming a built-in recruitment campaign.
Fire up the rumor mill…and add Jared Allen’s name to the mix. Hold on for a crazy week in the NFL.