Report: Jared Allen Not Interested In Pay Cut

While we've been putting together our plans for what we think the Minnesota Vikings should do this off-season, a lot of us have assumed that, at some point, the team would work out some sort of contract extension with Jared Allen to guarantee him a spot on the roster beyond this season and reduce his $17 million+ cap hit.

Yeah, about that. . .

You use the word restructure and that to me makes it feel like they'd want me to take a pay cut. And if anybody asked me to take a pay cut, I'd be through the first door out of there. So no. We haven't talked one iota. It is what it is. And we're going to go about our business and play good ball and try to win a Super Bowl. And like I said the business stuff? We take care of that in the offseason. I have people to do that. That's why I don't get into it. You're not going to hear it from me. I won't complain. I go about my business.

So, it doesn't appear as though a restructure is going to be taking place any time soon.

Paying $17 million for Jared Allen is a huge amount of money, obviously. . .he takes up right around 1/6 of the team's salary cap space all by himself. However, in the time he's been in Minnesota he's averaged nearly 15 sacks a season, and managed to put up 12 sacks in 2012 despite playing with a litany of injuries. (It's amazing how 12 sacks for Jared Allen is considered a "down year," isn't it?)

Allen is one of many Vikings' defensive linemen who is set to be a free agent next year. . .a list that currently includes fellow defensive ends Brian Robison and Everson Griffen, along with defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Fred Evans, as well as the recently-signed Lawrence Jackson. Allen might be banking on a big year going into free agency next season in the hopes of getting one more big contract. However, as much as I like Jared Allen, he's going to turn 32 next off-season, and he almost certainly won't get the kind of money he's gotten during his tenure with Minnesota.

But, as far as a pay cut for this year, it doesn't look like it's in the cards for everyone's favorite member of the Mullet Militia.