Allen: "Just watch me play this year"

During his introductory news conference yesterday, recently-signed Bears DE Jared Allen expressed a lot of confidence going into the upcoming season.

"Just watch me play this year," Allen said. "I'm a full year off surgery on my shoulder. I want to believe in what I'm playing for and who I'm playing for, and that's why I'm here. I believe in the product they're putting on the field."

While I'm curious to see how this guy will do this fall, I'm still not convinced he'll make the Bears a legitimate threat in the NFC North. I mean, when your offense is terrible your defensive skills are pretty irrelevant, right?

Bears replace Peppers; sign Jared Allen to 4-year deal

According to ESPN and many other sources, the Bears, just a little over a week since they lost Julius Peppers to the Packers, signed their replacement DE yesterday, inking former Viking Jared Allen to a 4-year, $32 million deal. Earlier this offseason, Allen threatened the world with retirement if he didn't get the big contract he wanted, so yea, it appears his weird strategy worked. 

Anyway, while this news definitely is big I still don't it'll matter that much. I mean, if Jay Cutler struggles this season like he usually does it won't matter who's standing on the other side of the ball, so why is the media treating this like it somehow guarantees something?

Rodgers wins Bart Starr Award

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will be honored with the 2014 Bart Starr Award, Athletes in Action, the organization that sponsors the award, announced yesterday. Rodgers played in just 9 games this season, throwing for a total of 2,536 yards and 17 TDs. 

The award, given annually to an NFL Player who shows outstanding character and leadership on and off field, will be given to #12 during January 31's NFL sanctioned Super Bowl Breakfast. 

Besides Rodgers, Steelers Safety Ryan Clark and Vikings DE Jared Allen were also finalists for the prize, but, since Rodgers received just about every single counted vote, neither of them came close to winning it.