Not there yet.
Not there yet.
On Thursday, free agent defensive end Jared Allen made his second visit to Seattle Seahawks headquarters in less than a week. Yet, he left without a deal.
Allen, who had 11.5 sacks last season with the Minnesota Vikings, is reportedly going to use the weekend to think over the Seahawks’ offer. He was in Renton at the VMAC last Sunday, in addition to Thursday’s visit with his wife, Amy.
ESPN reported that a deal with Allen was close Thursday afternoon. Then, the tenor of reports shifted to wait-and-see.
Allen also visited the Dallas Cowboys this week. However, the Cowboys officially signed defensive tackle Henry Melton on Wednesday, likely taking them out of the running for Allen because of a lack of salary cap space.
As of Thursday, the Seahawks still had around $15.2 million in salary cap space, according to the NFLPA’s public website.
The organization has worked conservatively with its money in the offseason.
The Seahawks were able to re-sign defensive lineman Michael Bennett, who was an unrestricted free agent, for a 2014 base salary of $2 million, which was a reduced rate. Otherwise, they have chosen not to splurge in free agency.
They signed free agent wide receiver Taylor Price to a $570,000 contract. Wide receiver Golden Tate signed elsewhere, as did five other Seattle free agents. The Seahawks also cut three players — wide receiver Sidney Rice, defensive end Red Bryant and defensive end Chris Clemons — primarily to create salary cap space.
Looming behind all offseason decisions for the Seahawks is the effort to get extensions done with free safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman. Each can become an unrestricted free agent in 2015.
Allen, 31, has had at least 11 sacks in the last seven seasons.
He turns 32 in April, but has played in all 16 regular-season games with the Minnesota Vikings each of the last six seasons. He spent his first four seasons in the league with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Allen is the remaining big fish for the Seahawks on the free agent market. Were he to join them, the top defense in the league would be gaining one of its top pass-rushers. Seattle would also be able to use Allen as part of its rotating defensive line, preserving him throughout the season through fewer snaps.
Falcons sign Devin Hester
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms with return specialist Devin Hester.
The team announced the deal Thursday. The 31-year-old Hester is a three-time Pro-Bowler who last year tied an NFL record with his 19th scoring return in eight seasons with the Chicago Bears. Coming off a dismal 4-12 season, the Falcons are hoping he can bolster a unit that ranked 28th in the league in kickoff return yards and 21st in punt return yards.
Hester has scored on 13 punt returns, five kickoff returns and off a missed field goal. In 2013, he led the NFL in kickoff return yards (1,436) and total return yards (1,692).
In addition, Hester has 217 receptions for 2,807 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career.
Terms of Hester’s contract were not immediately available.
By wire sources