Jared Allen (DE)-Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings haven't had any contract discussions with Allen, who is in the final year of a six-year, $73,260,072 contract (with $31,000,069 in guarantees) that made him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player. After making a run at the NFL single-season sack record in 2011 by posting 22 sacks, Allen dropped to 12 sacks in 2012 while dealing with persistent shoulder and knee problems. He had off-season surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and a torn meniscus in his right knee. It is crucial for Allen to erase any concerns that his dropoff was due to age since he will turn 32 next year. Pass rushers over 30 typically don't command lucrative contracts. Julius Peppers (six years, $84 million with additional $6.5 million through incentives) is the only pass rusher making more than $10 million per year on a contract signed after turning 30. Robert Mathis is next with the four-year, $36 million deal that he received from the Indianapolis Colts in 2012 as their franchise player. Allen's $17,063,961 2013 cap number ensures he won't be franchised in 2014. His franchise tag number will be $20.477 million.