April 24, 2008 01:54 am
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This week’s trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for defensive end Jared Allen just made Saturday’s NFL Draft a whole lot less exciting for Minnesota Vikings’ fans.
Allen, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound pass rusher, is a great pickup for the Vikings despite his huge price tag. His $31 million guaranteed money will obviously have salary cap repercussions down the road, but that’s a tradeoff fans can live with.
There’s no doubt losing this year’s No. 17 overall pick plus two third-round picks will hurt. On the positive side, there’s no waiting to develop a proven commodity in Allen.
If you figure the Vikes would have likely drafted a defensive end, such as Derrick Harvey, in the first round anyway, Allen is the preferred way to go. Besides when you consider some of Minnesota’s more recent defensive end draftees in the early rounds — Erasmus James (2nd round, 2005), Kenechi Udeze (1st, 2004), Michael Boireau (2nd, 2000), Dimitrius Underwood (1st, 1999) — the Allen trade makes plenty of sense.
What the trade does is make the Vikings’ second-round pick (No. 47 overall) fairly important. If they miss on that one, they better hope a few of their selections in the fourth round and later far exceed expectations.
In terms of draft strategy, the acquisition of Allen does not alter the Vikings’ plans. If you assume, as I do, that the Minnesota brain trust was originally targeting that position all along, then second round should go as previously planned.
Before giving up their two third-round picks in the trade, it’s conceivable Minnesota might have reached for a quarterback or wide receiver in Round 2. Without those picks, however, look for the Vikes to play it safe and select the best offensive lineman available.
If Carl Nicks of Nebraska or Duane Brown of Virginia Tech are still on the board in Round 2, Minnesota won’t hesitate to nab one of them. They’ll both be gone, however, so expect Brad Childress and Co. to go with Sam Baker from USC, instead.
If Minnesota chooses not to go after an offensive lineman in the second round, then the only other position it makes sense to address is tight end. Jim Kleinsasser is on the tail end of his career and Visanthe Shiancoe proved last season he’s not the answer.
With that in mind, tight end Fred Davis of USC would be difficult to pass up if he’s still out there with the 47th selection. Tight end Dustin Keller of Purdue might also be an option at that spot.
Jim Rueda is the Free Press sports editor. To contact him, call 344-6381 or e-mail him at jrueda@mankatofreepress.com
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