Rob Brzezinski > Your Team's Cap Guy

Then again, we already knew that.  But this article from Yahoo! Sports confirms it.

One of the key elements to Allen’s six-year, $74 million contract is a provision, pre-approved by the player, that allows the Vikings to convert an $8 million roster bonus Allen is due to receive in 2010 into a signing bonus. In such a case, the team would recoup its money from the player and the signing bonus would count under the salary cap for the remaining years of his contract. Under rules of the collective bargaining agreement, signing bonuses can be recovered by a team when a player violates his contract; a roster bonus can’t.

That was a key issue in Vick winning the right to keep approximately $16.25 million in a federal court judgment handed down in February. That ruling came after the Atlanta Falcons had initially won the right to recover the money because Vick was sentenced to federal prison on charges related to dog fighting last year.

In light of the Vick decision, which the NFL has appealed, Minnesota has come up with this provision in contracts signed by multiple big-money acquisitions this offseason. According to an NFL Players Association source, several other franchises have utilized this practice, though specific examples were not provided. Minnesota included the provision in contracts for safety Madieu Williams and wide receiver Bernard Berrian, which made the clause acceptable to Allen, said his agent Ken Harris.

“This is something the Vikings did with other players they signed this offseason, so it was consistent with everyone,” Harris said. “Jared was not being singled out, so we were willing to do that.”

So to everyone that said the Vikings didn't put any protections for themselves into the Jared Allen contract, it would appear as though the joke is on you.

Yet another brilliant manuever from the best damn cap guy in the National Football League.  This guy is worth every penny that Zygi Wilf is paying him and then some.