Fatlocks take on the Allen trade

[wolfpack]

Dealing Allen may make sense for Chiefs





Trading Jared Allen might be the smart thing to do.Once Clark Hunt decided to retain Carl Peterson, the chance for the Chiefs to retain a happy, productive Jared Allen nearly evaporated.
At least for one more year, we’re stuck with The Artist Formerly Known as King Carl, so we might as well contemplate the idea of unloading Kansas City’s best football player for draft picks and whatever else the Vikings, Buccaneers or Team X is willing to give up.
Yes, it’s sad, an unfortunate consequence of the Hunts’ loyalty to a man who clearly doesn’t have the self-confidence to know when to say when. Hmm, when your employment stretches two decades and your postseason success can be documented in full detail on a matchbook, it’s time to say “when.”
And when your continued employment interferes with the club’s ability to negotiate in good faith with an ascending superstar and lone box-office draw, ownership should step in and dethrone you.
But I swore I was going to be positive about Clark Hunt’s new leadership. He’s learning to lead, and I can’t fault him for waiting to pull the trigger on his most important decision.
Given that circumstance, given the Chiefs’ 4-12 record and given the poor prospects of dramatic improvement in 2008, dealing Jared Allen to a new general manager does make sense.
Allen justifiably wants Dwight Freeney-like money ($30 million in guarantees). Allen’s numbers stack up to Freeney’s. Allen’s importance to the Chiefs surpasses Freeney’s value to the Colts.
But there is one rock-solid reason to pass on giving Allen $30 million: the Chiefs’ 4-12 record.
When your team goes 4-12, nobody is worth $30 million. The record isn’t Allen’s fault. He performed at a 15-1 level. But ownership, for the most part, hands out gigantic signing bonuses when the stadium is filled, team merchandise is flying off the shelf and the team is consistently flirting with the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs are running season-ticket billboards in Nebraska. Interest in the club is declining. Allen is blue-chip stock. Unfortunately, this isn’t the stock market. No one is advising Clark Hunt to double his investment while the franchise is at a low point.
He bought $19 million worth of Larry Johnson in 2007 and got a $19 return. Ouch. That will make a day-trader think twice.
So why not sell Allen now, especially if some franchise is willing to give up two first-round picks? The Chiefs are attempting to rebuild. They’re considering taking quarterback Matt Ryan with the No. 5 pick. They’re considering trading down to acquire more picks.
Kansas City needs players, lots of young players. The Chiefs will be lucky to win seven games this season. Maybe, they’ll be a playoff team in 2009. Generally speaking, it takes experience to win in the playoffs. That makes 2010 a best-scenario for the Chiefs to make a Super Bowl run.
Will Jared Allen still be Kansas City’s best defensive player in 2010, will he still be dominant and healthy in his seventh NFL season?
Allen is ready to win now. He can help some team make a Super Bowl push in the next three seasons. Hey, or maybe he’s the next Michael Strahan and can put together a long run of consistent high-level play.
If you were Clark Hunt, would you bet $30 million on that?
It keeps coming back to money. As Allen shops himself around the NFL, he might learn he can’t get Dwight Freeney money. Freeney got hurt shortly after signing his big deal. The Eagles spent a lot of money on Jevon Kearse a few years ago and got nothing to show for it. And Kansas City’s 4-12 record is going to be a problem for Allen.

Allen might only command $24 million in guarantees on the open market, which is still more money than Peterson and Hunt are probably ready to spend right now. And with Allen’s baggage — the DUIs and subsequent suspension — and an arbitrator’s decision to allow Michael Vick to keep $20 million of bonuses despite a jail sentence, Allen might find non-Peterson GMs more frugal than he expects.
There’s an outside shot — way outside — that Allen could roll the dice one last time, grudgingly accept the franchise salary (around $10 million) and put together one more blockbuster season in hopes that The Artist Formerly Known as King Carl gets axed after this season or develops pride and steps down.
OK, we know it’s going to take a SWAT team and federal agents to get Peterson to abandon his Plaza compound. He won’t go quietly. The only real question is how big of a mess will he leave.
From this vantage point, trading or signing Jared Allen could be messy. I won’t scream too loudly if Clark Hunt chooses the least-expensive mess.

[royalswin100games]

Dealing Allen may make sense for Chiefs





Trading Jared Allen might be the smart thing to do.Once Clark Hunt decided to retain Carl Peterson, the chance for the Chiefs to retain a happy, productive Jared Allen nearly evaporated.
At least for one more year, we’re stuck with The Artist Formerly Known as King Carl, so we might as well contemplate the idea of unloading Kansas City’s best football player for draft picks and whatever else the Vikings, Buccaneers or Team X is willing to give up.
Yes, it’s sad, an unfortunate consequence of the Hunts’ loyalty to a man who clearly doesn’t have the self-confidence to know when to say when. Hmm, when your employment stretches two decades and your postseason success can be documented in full detail on a matchbook, it’s time to say “when.”
And when your continued employment interferes with the club’s ability to negotiate in good faith with an ascending superstar and lone box-office draw, ownership should step in and dethrone you.
But I swore I was going to be positive about Clark Hunt’s new leadership. He’s learning to lead, and I can’t fault him for waiting to pull the trigger on his most important decision.
Given that circumstance, given the Chiefs’ 4-12 record and given the poor prospects of dramatic improvement in 2008, dealing Jared Allen to a new general manager does make sense.
Allen justifiably wants Dwight Freeney-like money ($30 million in guarantees). Allen’s numbers stack up to Freeney’s. Allen’s importance to the Chiefs surpasses Freeney’s value to the Colts.
But there is one rock-solid reason to pass on giving Allen $30 million: the Chiefs’ 4-12 record.
When your team goes 4-12, nobody is worth $30 million. The record isn’t Allen’s fault. He performed at a 15-1 level. But ownership, for the most part, hands out gigantic signing bonuses when the stadium is filled, team merchandise is flying off the shelf and the team is consistently flirting with the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs are running season-ticket billboards in Nebraska. Interest in the club is declining. Allen is blue-chip stock. Unfortunately, this isn’t the stock market. No one is advising Clark Hunt to double his investment while the franchise is at a low point.
He bought $19 million worth of Larry Johnson in 2007 and got a $19 return. Ouch. That will make a day-trader think twice.
So why not sell Allen now, especially if some franchise is willing to give up two first-round picks? The Chiefs are attempting to rebuild. They’re considering taking quarterback Matt Ryan with the No. 5 pick. They’re considering trading down to acquire more picks.
Kansas City needs players, lots of young players. The Chiefs will be lucky to win seven games this season. Maybe, they’ll be a playoff team in 2009. Generally speaking, it takes experience to win in the playoffs. That makes 2010 a best-scenario for the Chiefs to make a Super Bowl run.
Will Jared Allen still be Kansas City’s best defensive player in 2010, will he still be dominant and healthy in his seventh NFL season?
Allen is ready to win now. He can help some team make a Super Bowl push in the next three seasons. Hey, or maybe he’s the next Michael Strahan and can put together a long run of consistent high-level play.
If you were Clark Hunt, would you bet $30 million on that?
It keeps coming back to money. As Allen shops himself around the NFL, he might learn he can’t get Dwight Freeney money. Freeney got hurt shortly after signing his big deal. The Eagles spent a lot of money on Jevon Kearse a few years ago and got nothing to show for it. And Kansas City’s 4-12 record is going to be a problem for Allen.

Allen might only command $24 million in guarantees on the open market, which is still more money than Peterson and Hunt are probably ready to spend right now. And with Allen’s baggage — the DUIs and subsequent suspension — and an arbitrator’s decision to allow Michael Vick to keep $20 million of bonuses despite a jail sentence, Allen might find non-Peterson GMs more frugal than he expects.
There’s an outside shot — way outside — that Allen could roll the dice one last time, grudgingly accept the franchise salary (around $10 million) and put together one more blockbuster season in hopes that The Artist Formerly Known as King Carl gets axed after this season or develops pride and steps down.
OK, we know it’s going to take a SWAT team and federal agents to get Peterson to abandon his Plaza compound. He won’t go quietly. The only real question is how big of a mess will he leave.
From this vantage point, trading or signing Jared Allen could be messy. I won’t scream too loudly if Clark Hunt chooses the least-expensive mess.

I'm tired of arguing my opinion over and over again. Fatlock needs to be fired too.

[hermhater]

This whole situation is a mess, thanks for your input to make it even less tolerable

[Hayvern]

I'm tired of arguing my opinion over and over again. Fatlock needs to be fired too.

Maybe, however in this instance he is right. The minute Peterson slapped the franchise tag on Allen without even negotiating with the guy we all knew this was going to come down to Allen playing somewhere else. Allen even said so.

I am not in the slightest bit surprised by this move, I think Peterson knew this was going to come to this all along. It is unfortunate, but I have now come to grips with this even though I am still not happy about it.

[hermhater]

Maybe, however in this instance he is right. The minute Peterson slapped the franchise tag on Allen without even negotiating with the guy we all knew this was going to come down to Allen playing somewhere else. Allen even said so.

I am not in the slightest bit surprised by this move, I think Peterson knew this was going to come to this all along. It is unfortunate, but I have now come to grips with this even though I am still not happy about it.

Yeah, it's happening, but hopefully it won't happen with the Vikes as they are dirty dealers.

I'm hoping we get to work out something with the Bucs, but I'm not holding my breath that they won't do it either.