Once the regular season starts, Jared Allen doesn’t necessarily want a break.
But the Vikings hope giving him one occasionally might help him stay healthier, longer.
Allen played a ridiculous amount of snaps (more than 90 percent of the total defensive plays) for the Vikings last year, part of the reason he managed a 22-sack season.
But coach Leslie Frazier knows he can’t do that forever, so he has a plan for the 30-year-old defensive end, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
“We’re going to make a concerted effort to try to get him off the field at times,” Frazier said. “Without hurting the team. We don’t want to hurt the team. He’s our best pass rusher, one of the best in the NFL.”
Allen would prefer to take his time off during the practice week and play on Sundays. Frazier didn’t share the number he had in mind, but the Vikings have depth sufficient to move Everson Griffen to linebacker, so they obviously feel good about backups such as D’Aundrae Reed.