There are risks with his history of nagging injuries, but the guy is the epitome of young talent that is ascending.
You couple that with a 15 mill salary (and a short 3-year term) and it's something we should have done. That's not an overpay, not in 2023. Wouldn't be an overpay 4-5 years earlier. Guys are making 20+ now.
We also have a dearth of talent on the lines. I can stomach moving on from older guys and people not wanting to be here that might not fit a 3-4 year time frame, but Allen does and in the trenches. If someone offered him 20 or so, like Kirk, then so be it. 15 is bordering on a bargain for an unrestricted free agent.
We can blame Keim for leaving us in this position, but it's on Monti for not recovering from Keim's indecision. He easily could have, at least from a number's position. But we are grasping at straws for assuming he's choosing VJ over here. Maybe, maybe not.
IMO it's likely VJ and Payton offered him more than us, and the familiarity made it an easy sell.
If we're trying to rebuild, you start in the trenches, with young guys. Allen was one of them and a known quantity.
Definitely a step back. Now let's hope Monti has the plan to move us a few steps forward.