Decision Time … At Some Point

It would seem the ball is in the Chiefs’ court to make a decision on trading Jared Allen, but they could wait until after the draft has started to see how their rookie replacement options are panning out.

The Jared Allen saga continues … and may continue into the draft without a resolution.

As the Vikings await word from the Chiefs as to whether Kansas City officials will accept the Vikings’ offer for Allen, the NFL sacks leader last year with 15½, everyone remains in limbo. Allen had a visit scheduled to Tampa Bay early this week, but, as of now, he hasn’t made such a site visit. Media reports out of Tampa say the only way the Bucs could beat the Vikings’ original offer of their first- and third-round picks – both of which would be higher in their respective rounds than Tampa Bay’s – would be for the Bucs to pony up a first- and second-round pick. With only five picks in this year’s draft, that is a price deemed too steep.

If the Chiefs hold firm, the only sticking point remaining could be who will the Chiefs land with the fifth overall pick? There is some speculation that, if Vernon Gholston or Chris Long remains on the board at No. 5, the Chiefs will select the available DE and make the Allen trade official. If that is their game plan heading into the draft, there likely won’t be any announcement coming soon.

Most Vikings fans would just like to see something done – one way or the other – sooner rather than later. If the Vikings did, indeed, increase their offer on Monday as a league source said, the Vikings' would appear to clearly be in the lead for Allen if Kansas City is serious about trading him. But, if the Chiefs continue to hold the cards as they seem to think they do, the final decision on where Allen ends up may not be finalized until after the draft actually begins Saturday afternoon.

TUESDAY NOTES

Falcons General Manager Tom Dimitroff hinted Monday that the Falcons have been receiving offers to move into their No. 3 draft position in Saturday’s first round of the draft. No pick in the top five in the draft has actually been traded in several years.

Add the Packers to the list of teams that may be interested in drafting a quarterback early. In light of the retirement of Brett Favre and the potential availability of highly-regarded quarterbacks Brian Brohm and Joe Flacco at the end of the first round, the Packers may have an interest in going that route. G.M. Ted Thompson said that an interest in a QB should not be misconstrued as an indictment of Aaron Rodgers, but more as a need for depth now that No. 4 is retired.

The odds of the Vikings being able to land DE Derrick Harvey in the first round seem pretty remote at this point. If Harvey were to make it out of the top 10, both Carolina and Detroit have been rumored to have a lot of interest. Both of them currently sit in front of the Vikings in the first round.

There are rumors out of Denver that the Broncos might be willing to part with their pick at No. 12 – ahead of both the Panthers and Lions – if someone is interested in moving up. The Vikings could be that team if they’re willing to flip picks and give Denver back its third-round pick. The Vikings have an extra pick in the third round thanks to a draft-day trade last year with the Broncos.

Former Vikings assistant coach Brian Billick will make his debut on the NFL Network during the draft this weekend. He will join former coach Steve Mariucci and former G.M. Charley Casserly as part of the network’s draft coverage.