Ra's al Ghul
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http://q.usatoday.com/2014/03/26/workout-freak-jared-allen-still-has-productivity-left-at-32/
Jared Allen turns 32 years old next week and seemingly has played every snap of his 10-year NFL career. But the veteran pass rusher has some productivity left – even if the odds may be against him playing out the four-year contract he signed Wednesday with the Chicago Bears.
“He’s not finished,” one NFL personnel man who studied Allen recently told USA TODAY Sports, speaking on condition of anonymity for competitive reasons.
The personnel man said Allen, a “workout freak” who takes care of his body, likely will be able to battle Father Time more than others and pointed out he was productive even in front of some ugly Minnesota Vikings secondaries.
Allen had a 22-sack season – a half-sack shy of Michael Strahan’s single-season NFL record – on a Vikings team that went 3-13 in 2011.
He added 12 sacks in 2012 and 11½ in 2013, extending his streak to seven consecutive seasons in double-digits and giving him 128½ for his career, four shy of matching Leslie O’Neal and Lawrence Taylor for 10th on the all-time list.
“I think (he has) a year or two (left),” the NFL personnel man said. “He’s out for one thing.”
Another NFL personnel man said Allen “can still play” and must be accounted for by opposing coordinators, though he’s not the same player he was and shouldn’t be on the field for 70 snaps a game anymore.
Considering how Allen fought against coming off the field in Minnesota, managing his playing time – and keeping him fresher – is one task facing a Bears coaching staff that may have to do that with other defensive players, too.
The signing of Allen gives them eight defensive players aged 30 and over: linebackers Lance Briggs and D.J. Williams, defensive tackles Israel Idonije and Jeremiah Ratliff and cornerbacks Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings and Kelvin Hayden.
All except Briggs signed this offseason, though only three – Jennings (four years, $19.4 million), Ratliff (two years, $3.75 million) and now Allen (four years, $32 million, per The Associated Press) – received multiyear pacts.
The Bears also cut 34-year-old end Julius Peppers and signed 26-year-old defensive tackle Lamarr Houston to a five-year, $35 million deal. Two other starting defensive linemen, Henry Melton (Dallas) and Corey Wootton (Minnesota), are gone as well.
It’s not the same old group that finished 30th in yards allowed and 32nd against the run in 2013. But the Bears are showing no urge to blow things up and roll with a young unit, either, one year after their talented skill group on offense carried them to 8-8 in coach Marc Trestman’s debut.
Jared Allen turns 32 years old next week and seemingly has played every snap of his 10-year NFL career. But the veteran pass rusher has some productivity left – even if the odds may be against him playing out the four-year contract he signed Wednesday with the Chicago Bears.
“He’s not finished,” one NFL personnel man who studied Allen recently told USA TODAY Sports, speaking on condition of anonymity for competitive reasons.
The personnel man said Allen, a “workout freak” who takes care of his body, likely will be able to battle Father Time more than others and pointed out he was productive even in front of some ugly Minnesota Vikings secondaries.
Allen had a 22-sack season – a half-sack shy of Michael Strahan’s single-season NFL record – on a Vikings team that went 3-13 in 2011.
He added 12 sacks in 2012 and 11½ in 2013, extending his streak to seven consecutive seasons in double-digits and giving him 128½ for his career, four shy of matching Leslie O’Neal and Lawrence Taylor for 10th on the all-time list.
“I think (he has) a year or two (left),” the NFL personnel man said. “He’s out for one thing.”
Another NFL personnel man said Allen “can still play” and must be accounted for by opposing coordinators, though he’s not the same player he was and shouldn’t be on the field for 70 snaps a game anymore.
Considering how Allen fought against coming off the field in Minnesota, managing his playing time – and keeping him fresher – is one task facing a Bears coaching staff that may have to do that with other defensive players, too.
The signing of Allen gives them eight defensive players aged 30 and over: linebackers Lance Briggs and D.J. Williams, defensive tackles Israel Idonije and Jeremiah Ratliff and cornerbacks Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings and Kelvin Hayden.
All except Briggs signed this offseason, though only three – Jennings (four years, $19.4 million), Ratliff (two years, $3.75 million) and now Allen (four years, $32 million, per The Associated Press) – received multiyear pacts.
The Bears also cut 34-year-old end Julius Peppers and signed 26-year-old defensive tackle Lamarr Houston to a five-year, $35 million deal. Two other starting defensive linemen, Henry Melton (Dallas) and Corey Wootton (Minnesota), are gone as well.
It’s not the same old group that finished 30th in yards allowed and 32nd against the run in 2013. But the Bears are showing no urge to blow things up and roll with a young unit, either, one year after their talented skill group on offense carried them to 8-8 in coach Marc Trestman’s debut.
