Earlier on Saturday, we floated the possibility of the Minnesota Vikings signing Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen to an offer sheet after the 2008 draft.  If the Chiefs choose not to match the offer, they would be stuck with the Vikings’ first-round draft picks in 2009 and 2010.

Several readers asked whether such a move would be permissible, citing the Friday, April 18 deadline for signing players to offer sheets.  Though vague, the CBA seemed to indicate that the pre-draft deadline applies only to restricted free agents, and not to franchise players.  NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed for us that there is no pre-draft deadline for signing franchise players to offer sheets.

Thus, if the Vikings believe that the team is going to be a solid contender over the next few years in a so-so NFC North (especially after Brett Favre’s retirement), why not make the run at Allen after the draft?  The first-round picks in 2009 and 2010 will be low.

They’ll be even lower if the players whom the Vikes land in a 2008 draft that is deep but not top-heavy become solid contributors. 

In our view, it’s a no-brainer.  The Vikings should sign Allen to an offer sheet with a poison pill the moment after exercising the 17th overall selection in round one.