Sep 18, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive back Asher Allen (21) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Metrodome. The Buccaneers defeated the Vikings 24-20. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

Asher Allen ended the 2011 season on IR after suffering post-concussion symptoms and on Wednesday he abruptly retired. The team won’t say whether Allen’s decision to hang them up was related to concussion concerns but, well, you connect the dots for yourself. He was 24 and had a fair chance of landing a job as a back-up this year even with all the additions to the secondary. Unless there were other circumstances we’re not aware of, it’s a pretty safe bet that the concussion issue was what prompted Allen to retire.

You can’t criticize a man for leaving a violent sport out of concern for his own health. Asher Allen is doing what’s best for Asher Allen and I respect that. As for the Vikings’ side of it, the hard truth is that Allen was never a big part of their plans and they shouldn’t have any trouble finding someone else who can do what they expected him to do. Allen showed one or two flashes of proficiency during his three years but never became a consistently good player despite being drafted in the third round.

Allen was feisty and held up adequately in spot start duty but that’s not enough from a man taken that high in the draft. Even had he not retired prematurely it’s unlikely he ever would’ve developed enough to justify the pick. It was a bad pick by the Vikings, pure and simple. They now hope Josh Robinson can become the player Asher Allen never did.

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Dec 13, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Chris Carr (25) against the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter at Reliant Stadium. The Ravens defeated the Texans 34-28. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE

Rick Spielman has done it again. The Vikings GM is all about identifying under-30 players who showed a flash of talent somewhere in their past but fell far enough down the ladder to lose most if not all of their free agent value. Former Ravens cornerback Chris Carr definitely fits this description, and he will now be a Minnesota Viking. Like former Bears cornerback Zackary Bowman, Carr is being brought in on a one-year contract.

Rick Spielman, King of the Show-Me Deal. If he signs enough guys to enough of these, a couple of them are going to pan out and he is going to look like a genius.

Like Mr. Bowman and everyone else the Vikings seem to have pursued this year, Carr is a couple years removed from his best season. In 2010 with Baltimore he tallied 61 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 picks and 8 passes defensed.  A solid year. But – and there’s a “but” with every Spielman FA target – he took a significant step back in 2011, struggling with a bad hamstring and playing in only nine games.

You have to like the potential with Carr. But you also have to be concerned that, at 28, he’s getting less likely to ever realize that potential. We’ll see what Leslie Frazier and Alan Williams can do with the young man. Any move that pushes Asher Allen farther down the depth chart is a good move.

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For those who insist on going down the SuckforLuck road: Good news everyone, our already-weak offensive line and secondary will be even weaker. For those of us who choose to live in a world not dominated by gallows humor and masochism and other such painfully transparent coping strategies: Uh, I got nothing. (more…)