Although the bigger issue is whether the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs can work out a deal for a trade of defensive end Jared Allen’s rights from the Chiefs to the Vikings, the Kansas City Star reports that the Vikes and Allen are close to an agreement as to the long-term deal that would be signed by the player if/when he’s wearing purple.

And, as we heard on Sunday, the Vikings are likely to sign Allen to an offer sheet after the draft, if the Chiefs and the Vikings can’t work out the terms of a trade.

While such an approach would risk that the Chiefs will trade Allen elsewhere (such as Tampa), the reality is that, if Allen has decided that he wants to play for the Vikings, he can essentially block a trade to another team by refusing to sign a long-term contract there. Absent a multi-year deal, the team getting Allen would be getting him only for one season.

Per many published reports, the Vikings are willing to give up a first-round pick and a third-round pick, but the Chiefs want a first-round pick and a second-round pick.

Allen ended his visit to Minnesota on Sunday. Per league rule, such visits may last only two days.