Chiefs: Allen’s agent is to blame for contract woes

By Clayton Wendler  |   Thursday, April 05, 2007  |  Comments( 13 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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Chiefs fans' patience may have run out with defensive end Jared Allen. According to a report last week, Allen will not attend the team's mandatory offseason workouts, and he will not sign his one-year tender offer until the eve of training camp.

It's strange behavior for someone who had previously been so well-liked in Kansas City and had caused precious few problems other than two DUI infractions. Because of this contract holdup, Allen is now being painted as a bad guy -- especially after it came out that he won't play for the Chiefs beyond 2007.

But I don't buy for one second that Allen has suddenly transformed into a money-hungry mercenary eager to dump a town that embraced him. There's been something fishy about these proceedings the entire time.

And Ken Harris reeks of corruption.

Harris is Allen's agent. When contract talks between the fourth-year defensive end and the Chiefs broke down, it was reported that a trade was demanded. Later, Allen said Harris exaggerated that request.

I'm guessing neither Allen nor his agent are dumb. They both know, as the rest of us do, that Allen's DUI problems make a long-term contract a risky proposition for the Chiefs.

But despite that, they're still looking for big money. Somehow, Harris has convinced Allen that he's worth it, and the Chiefs are the bad guys in this scenario, denying a proven player his reward after three years of hard work and solid production.

Why has Harris done this? Because he, too, wants to get paid.

A glance at Harris' Web site (it appears to have been designed by a teenager) shows the agent has precious few clients compared to some of the larger firms. Other than Allen, Harris has negotiated deals for such marquee players as Ken Rumph, Mel Mitchell, Jon Dorenbos, Sean Bubin and Von Hutchins. There are five kickers and a long-snapper on the list. Obviously, these guys aren't signing record-breaking contracts.

It's quite clear that Allen is the headliner. He's Harris' best chance to strike his first big deal with a player who could become a huge star and cash in on a major payday in the process. He's evidently going to stop at nothing to do it.

Allen's best chance at a big payday and a long NFL career is to eat his humble pie now and sign his one-year tender. He has to take responsibility for his off-the-field transgressions.

Once he proves he can behave, I'm sure the Chiefs will be more than happy to show him the money. And Chiefs General Manager Carl Peterson has always taken care of players who deserve it.

Harris simply doesn't have Allen's best interests at heart. That's why negotiations have gone badly and may not even take place (with the Chiefs, anyway) next offseason.

This is just another case of Allen using poor judgment -- as he did in deciding to drive while intoxicated. He's chosen poorly in picking an agent to represent him.

Meanwhile, quarterback Trent Green, despite the fact he will almost certainly end up playing for another NFL franchise next season, reported to offseason workouts at Arrowhead Stadium this week. Jim Steiner, his agent, isn't telling Green to shun the Chiefs even though that's basically what they're doing to him.

Coincidentally, Steiner has plenty of other big-time players on his list. He was Jerry Rice's agent and is Mike Alstott's. He currently represents Warrick Dunn and Shaun Alexander, among others.

Green didn't furiously demand a trade when the Chiefs asked him to take a pay cut this offseason, and the team has never had a problem negotiating contract issues with him or his agent.

The same goes for running back Larry Johnson. Despite his surly nature and desire for a new contract, there have been no incidents in negotiations (even if they have been slow to this point) with agent Alvin Keels. Johnson didn't even ask for a new contract after rushing for a franchise-best 1,750 yards in 2005.

And as far as I can tell, GMG Football (Keels' company) doesn't even have a Web site. That doesn't sound like someone too caught up in promoting his business, looking to leech a bunch of money off a player's big contract.

Green and Johnson both have good agents -- men who have their clients' best interests at heart.

Allen has a devil on his shoulder, whispering in his ear.

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