Sept. 29--After just 18 months, Jared Allen's days as a Chicago Bear appear to be over.
The Tribune has confirmed that Allen has been traded to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a conditional draft pick. Fox's Jay Glazer, a close friend of Allen as well as Bears coach John Fox, originally reported the deal.
It registers as a significant move for both the team and the player, a parting of ways between a veteran in the home stretch of his career and a team in the very early stages of a massive rebuild.
In a release Monday afternoon, the Bears formally announced the deal.
"Whether it is acquiring additional picks or signing players, we will continue to be aggressive in finding ways to improve our football team," general manager Ryan Pace said. "We appreciate Jared's contributions and wish him the best in Carolina."
Allen, who was asked to make a change from defensive end to outside linebacker when the Bears shifted to a 3-4 defensive system last spring, was without a sack through the first three games. He has been credited with five total tackles but hadn't emerged as an impact playmaker for a defense badly needing one.
The Bears originally signed Allen in March 2014, giving him a four-year, $32 million deal in which $15.5 million was guaranteed. But that signing was made by former general manager Phil Emery. And after Allen struggled through his first season as a Bear, recording a career-low 5 1/2 sacks, the transition to a new position only toughened his efforts to regain his form as a significant pass-rushing threat.
