Report: Chiefs Drove Wedge With Allen

The Vikings are the frontrunners to land DE Jared Allen, but as of now, nothing is certain. What does appear certain, however, is that Allen won't return to the Chiefs following a rift that started last year and has become seemingly impossible to repair.

The Saturday morning edition of the Kansas City Star made it pretty clear that Jared Allen will not be coming back to play for the Chiefs. While the Vikings are currently the frontrunners to get him, whether he comes to Minnesota or not, it seems all but certain that he won’t be returning to the Chiefs.

In an interview with columnist Joe Posnanski, it is made clear that Chiefs and General Manager Carl Peterson put the wheels in motion to get him out of town when Allen was suspended for a second drunken driving offense. The Chiefs had a chance to get a long-term deal done, but Peterson took a “wait-and-see” approach and, when asked to discuss Allen’s situation, he referred to him as “a young man at risk.” Allen was offended by those remarks and that has only intensified over the last year.

Allen said he wouldn’t hold out to make a point like running back Larry Johnson did last year during training camp while seeking a new contract. But he did make it clear that he no longer wants to play for the Chiefs.

Vikings fans are hoping their team can work out a contract that will have Allen wearing purple soon, but, even if that doesn’t happen, don’t expect him to ever be wearing the red and gold of the Chiefs again.

SATURDAY NOTES

The newspapers in the Tampa area seem to be conceding that the Vikings will be able to make a better offer than the Bucs to sign Allen, which has to be viewed as a positive sign that he can get signed here and the trade can be completed.

The best thing the Vikings have going for them in a potential Allen deal is their positioning. The Vikings have a better first-round pick than the Bucs (17th to 20th) and have more picks to deal. The Vikings currently have picks in every round and two picks in the third and sixth rounds. The Bucs have one pick in each the first five rounds and no picks in the sixth or seventh.
* While it likely won’t provide any concrete answers, the Vikings have scheduled a press conference for 1:15 p.m. Thursday to discuss the coming draft. Brad Childress, Rick Spielman and Scott Studwell are expected to be made available to the media, but don’t expect them to tip their hand too much. If the Vikings can sign Allen, the first day of the draft would likely be pretty uneventful at Winter Park.

Darrion Scott visited the Patriots Thursday, but, as of yet, has not received a contract offer.

Former Viking Mitch Berger was hoping to hook on with the Patriots as their punter, but the team announced Friday that it had signed veteran punter Scott Player instead.

If Darren McFadden drops out of the top five picks next Saturday, don’t be stunned if he ends up with the Jets. Team officials have met with McFadden three times in the last three weeks and took him out for a night on the town this week.

The Bears have more linebacker troubles. A year ago, Lance Briggs said he would never play for the Bears again after being slapped with the franchise tag, but eventually signed a long-term deal. Now Brian Urlacher, who signed a nine-year, $56.7 million deal in 2003 that included $13 million in guaranteed money, wants to tear up that deal or he is threatening to retire, according to one report.

Don’t be surprised if Giants TE Jeremy Shockey is traded on or before draft day. It sounds like the asking price is a second-round pick and the Saints seem to be the team getting the most buzz as a potential trade suitor.