League braces for Jared's impact with the Vikes.

[Direckshun]

That is going to be one badass defensive line.

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Allen transforms Vikings Pass Rush

Forget Asante Samuel. Forget Michael Turner. Forget Bernard Berrian and any other noteworthy player who changed addresses this off-season. The biggest move since the end of the 2007 season -- by a wide margin -- took place on Tuesday night.

That was when the Chiefs agreed to send the league’s best defensive end, Jared Allen, and their sixth-round pick (187th overall) to Minnesota for the Vikings’ first-rounder (17th), two third-rounders (73rd and 82nd) and sixth-rounder (182nd).

In case you’ve forgotten, Allen was the guy who led the NFL in sacks this past season, putting up 15.5 in just 14 games, missing the first two because he was suspended for a pair of DUI convictions. Allen has produced at least 7.5 sacks in each of his four seasons despite playing on a Kansas City defense that hasn’t scared anyone. He got to the quarterback nine times as a rookie despite entering the league as a fourth-round pick and garnering just 10 starts.

As a sophomore, Allen really began to flash his hard-working side, posting 11 sacks and forcing seven fumbles, good for second in the league. Just in case anyone worried that Allen would be limited to those stat categories, he went out and broke up 10 passes and picked off one in 2006 and then knocked down 10 more in 2007. He led all defensive linemen in total pass defenses in each of those seasons.

His numbers start to look even more impressive when you consider that Chiefs opponents really haven’t thrown the ball a lot lately. In the past two seasons, Kansas City has seen the 12th-fewest (in 2006) and third-fewest pass attempts (not counting sacks or scrambles). The Vikings, on the other hand, have faced the most pass attempts in the league in each of the past two seasons -- thanks largely to a dominant run defense. Opponents might be a little more hesitant to drop back with an enhanced purple pass rush, but it’s not as if Minnesota has lost any key run defenders from last year’s club.

At the very least, more chances should make it easier for Allen to continue his strong numbers and possibly even improve them a bit. A big part of any such improvement will be the potentially symbiotic relationship between him and tackle Kevin Williams.

The Vikings’ Pro Bowler stormed into the league with 10.5 and 11.5 sacks in his first two seasons. Suddenly, however, that production dropped like Pat Williams off a diving board. Over the past three years, Kevin Williams has collected a mere 12 sacks total. So, what was the difference?

Well, 2004, the last time that Williams reached double digits in sacks, also happens to have been the last year in which a Viking end tallied double digits. Lance Johnstone finished just a half-sack behind his linemate with 11 that year. In 2003, Johnstone again produced just a half-sack less than his rookie teammate, finishing with 10. Given those facts, it’s not hard to imagine the addition of Allen, an even more successful outside rusher, bumping Williams’ sack totals back up considerably.

Another player who could benefit from Allen’s arrival is third-year end Ray Edwards, who started 11 games at right end last season. He tied for the paltry team lead with five sacks before testing positive for a banned substance and losing the final four games to suspension.

Allen figures to easily take over the right end spot generally manned by a team’s top rusher, which should push Edwards over to the left side. With the regular starter from that spot, Kenechi Udeze, questionable for any of the upcoming season as he deals with leukemia treatment, Edwards should be the favorite to start on the left. After sharing the outside with such luminaries as Udeze, Jayme Mitchell and Spencer Johnson, Edwards will now line up opposite the returning NFL sack leader. Between Allen and Williams, opposing offenses will have enough to worry about without taking too many looks at the emerging young guy on the left.

Meanwhile, back in Kansas City, things could get tougher for Tamba Hali. Instead of being the young guy benefitting from attention paid to Allen, Hali now is a third-year veteran in line to start opposite Turk McBride. The Chiefs will have to draft an upgrade there, and no matter who that might be, Hali could have a tough time even getting back to the 7.5-sack level he has reached in each of his first two seasons.

In Minnesota, the one small factor that could hold Allen back would be motivation. His best season to date has been 2007, which was not only a contract year but began with a suspension. He not only had to prove what kind of money he was worth on the eve of unrestricted free agency but had to play well enough that any interested team would overlook a history of partying and impaired driving.

Now, by all accounts, Allen has been sober for more than a year and seems to have cleaned up his act. You can bet that the Vikings dove deeply into those issues before making him the highest paid defensive end ever. In addition, effort has never been his problem. He has made his name as a high-motor end who outperforms his level of sheer talent. For those reasons, I’m betting on continued success over relapse in Minnesota. This move should excite everyone in the Metrodome, except opposing quarterbacks.

Matt Schauf is an associate editor and senior fantasy football writer for SportsBuff.com. E-mail him at matt.schauf@sportsbuff.com.