Allen’s wallet could get lighter

Jared Allen probably won’t know his status for Sunday’s game yet on Friday with a shoulder injury, but he might find his wallet a little lighter.

The NFL may add insult to injury for Vikings DE Jared Allen today.

Allen, who has missed the last two days of practice with a shoulder injury suffered last week against Houston, will likely find out today if the league agreed with the assessment of Houston coach Gary Kubiak, who said earlier this week that Allen intentionally took cheap shots at quarterback Matt Schaub, including the hit that injured Schaub’s knee and could sideline him for a month.

Kubiak backed up his words on his weekly coach’s show Thursday, saying he sent three plays from Sunday’s game to the commissioner’s office for review. A story in the Houston Chronicle said that all three plays involve Allen – two on hits to Schaub and another that Kubiak claims was a horse-collar tackle of backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels.

Typically, Friday has become “Pay the Piper” day for bad behavior in the NFL, when players are informed whether or not they have been fined for questionable plays. Allen, who hopes to return to practice in some capacity today, will learn his fate from the commissioner. Allen has maintained that he has never intentionally hurt another player and that he and Schaub discussed their injuries after the game and, in Allen’s opinion, left on good terms.

FRIDAY NOTES

As mentioned, Allen missed his second straight day of practice Thursday. He was the only Vikings player to not participate in practice. The same three players that were limited in practice Wednesday – S Husain Addullah (neck), LB David Herron (hip) and TE Garrett Mills (ankle) – were limited again on Thursday.

Robert Ferguson, who didn’t participate in Wednesday’s practice for non-injury reasons, returned to practice Thursday and was removed from the injury report.

On the Green Bay side of things, QB Aaron Rodgers (right shoulder) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) remained somewhat limited in practice. OT Chad Clifton, who was limited in practice Wednesday with chronic knee problems, was a full participant Thursday in practice.

It will be interesting to see what happens following Sunday’s game when it comes to the obligatory coaches’ handshake. After the opening loss to the Packers, Brad Childress didn’t shake hands with Packers coach Mike McCarthy. Childress said he was trying to chase down Tarvaris Jackson to speak to him, but others have speculated that Childress was upset over preseason allegations made the Packers organization that the Vikings tampered with Brett Favre in hopes of bringing him over to the Vikings.

DeAngelo Hall has to be one of the happiest players in the league. Not only was he able to make $8 million to play eight games with the Raiders, but he’s out of Oakland and weighing contract offers from the Redskins, Giants, Patriots, Saints and Steelers after clearing waivers Thursday. He is expected to sign a deal by today or Saturday and be on the field this weekend. The Vikings showed no interest in him