Jared Allen knows what he is worth. If you aren’t willing to pay him that, he will just walk away from the game.
According to Ian Rapoport, he would rather retire than take a pay cut:
“He wants his market value, he wants his fair salary, and if he does not get it, Jared Allen is very much at peace,” Rapoport said. “He is willing to simply go about his life and walk away from football.”
“I will tell you this,” Rapoport said. “Jared Allen has a ton of admiration for Barry Sanders, who walked away from football while still having his best, still able to play at a high level. He walked on his own terms, it’s something Jared Allen has always respected.”
Last year, Jared Allen made $11.6 million with the Vikings. He was productive and had 11.5 sacks but he is entering his 11th season in the NFL. You have to wonder how much longer he will perform at a level that commands a $10M+ salary.
I wouldn’t pay it but we will see if Allen lands on a team or if he becomes a family man.
