Jared Allen's new role described as '70 percent' defensive end
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jul 25, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Jared Allen goes through drills during training camp at Olivet Nazarene University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
There has been a lot of talk about Jared Allen's transition from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker in the Chicago Bears new scheme under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. However, some light has been shed on Allen's new role, and all the talk about a position shift at the age of 33 might be a bit overblown.
Fangio described Allen's position as "70 percent defensive end and 30 percent outside linebacker," according to Bleacher Report's Dan Pompei. There's also a chance he's strictly a D-end, if the Bears choose only to use him on passing downs.
Still, Allen insists Fangio is asking him to play a "totally new" position.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I have to approach this as a totally new position," he said, per Bleacher Report. "I can't try to cross over with what I already know. If I do that, it will cloud everything."
After 11 seasons of playing defensive end, Allen is the NFL's active sack leader. He has 134.0 career sacks, all of which came out of a three-point stance. Allen embraced the position change because Fangio told him it could redefine his career.
"I told him he could have a rebirth of his career," Fangio said, via Bleacher Report. "I said it's an easier position to play physically than defensive end. If he dove into it -- all in -- I thought he would do well as long as he still could run. As long as he wasn't worn out from a physical standpoint, I told him he could do it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}We'll keep an eye on how the crafty D-coordinator employs this noted sack-master in 2015.
(h/t Bleacher Report)