The Bears surprised the NFL by landing defensive end Jared Allen this morning, and he said there’s a reason they were able to keep it on the down low.
According to Ed Werder of ESPN, Allen said the Bears came into the picture at the last minute, with a deal that made him reconsider his other options.
Their guarantee of $15.5 million over the next two years slots him between the deal Julius Peppers got from the Packers and DeMarcus Ware’s windfall from the Broncos, which was enough for him to make an intra-divisional move from the Vikings.
Allen sent out a statement through his agents expressing his gratitude to the Vikings.
“I’d like to take a moment to thank my former teammates, coaches and the staff at the Minnesota Vikings for all of their inspiring work and dedication,” the statement said. “Perhaps more importantly I would like to thank the fans and the Minnesota community. I can only hope that I have left with you all with even a fraction of the positive support and impact you have had on my life, my foundation and my family.
“I am very excited about this next chapter in my career with the Chicago Bears and can’t wait to see what the future holds for us. God bless.”
And if the Bears hadn’t come in late with their offer, that next chapter might have been written somewhere else.