Chicago Bears

Jared Allen's new role described as '70 percent' defensive end

Published Aug. 18, 2015 9:18 a.m. ET

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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.

"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."

We'll keep an eye on how the crafty D-coordinator employs this noted sack-master in 2015.

(h/t Bleacher Report)

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