I've always been a fan of Allen as a player but even if at this point he is better than Peppers due to age or whatever he is still not really a fit at any position in a 3-4. There's no question Peppers is a better fit for GB than Allen.
Originally Posted by: steveishere
Yeah, and neither is a great fit, really. At least not as an outside linebacker. I suppose both are fine as sub-package pass rushers, but I'd still rather Peppers in a 3-4.
As far as scheme fit goes though, I would have to say Jared Allen was a better signing than Julius Peppers. But that doesn't mean that the Packers should have signed Jared Allen over Julius Peppers. It's an apples and oranges comparison. Allen may have been the better signing overall, but that doesn't mean that Packers made a mistake by signing Peppers. Allen is more expensive, and likely expected to be a starter and main contributor on the Bears defense. With the Packers, Peppers will likely be expected to be a role player, and a pass rush specialist (at least until all the inevitable injuries occur). They are just different scenarios and circumstances. If utilized properly, both should be decent-to-good signings for each team. The main difference is the Packers will probably have less financial consequences if they choose to move on from their signing next season.
Jared Allen as a Packer just wouldn't have made much sense to me. Especially for what the Bears signed him for. He's more of a one trick pony. He's really good at that one trick, but Peppers undoubtedly offers a bit more versatility, even at his age, which will be important for the Packers scheme.