Jared Allen watch is over, and the former Vikings defensive end won’t be a Seahawk. Instead, Allen has agreed to a four-year deal with the Chicago Bears, the team announced.
LM: #Bears bolster defense by agreeing to terms on 4-year deal with DE Jared Allen, one of NFL’s most prolific pass rushers.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 26, 2014
The deal is reportedly worth $32 million over four years with $15.5 million guaranteed, which is significantly more than what the Seahawks were believed to be offering. That the Bears were interested in upgrading their pass rush hardly comes as a surprise; they were Seattle’s biggest competition for Michael Bennett, who ended up re-signing with the Seahawks.
At one point last week, Allen-to-Seattle seemed a forgone conclusion. He made two visits to Seattle in less than a week — a rarity for a free agent who isn’t going to sign — and ESPN reported the two sides were finalizing a deal. Instead Allen left Seattle without signing and spent the weekend, and then some, thinking over the decision, and perhaps waiting for another team to up the offer.
The team willing to up its bid was never going to be Seattle. The Seahawks liked Allen and wanted to upgrade a pass rush that no longer has Chris Clemons, but the top priority remains having enough cap space to retain key young players such as Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman, who can be extended this offseason, and Russell Wilson, who is due for a big raise next year.
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