Allen Deal Keeps Looking Better

We alluded to the Vikings Jared Allen gamble looking good on draft day, but Mike Florio has added another reason why the Allen trade is not nearly as crazy as some people believed it was.

To fill the team's biggest need, the Vikings traded a first-round pick and two third-rounders for Allen, while the Jaguars traded a first-round pick, two third-round picks and a fourth-round for rookie defensive end Derrick Harvey.
Now the first-rounder the Jags traded was the 26th pick, while the Vikings was pick No. 17, but overall the two trades were pretty comparable as far as what was given up.

Now there is a chance that Harvey will make a Jevon Kearse/Dwight Freeney-like impact as a rookie (although it's unlikely), and there's a chance that Allen will go on a four-day bender that leads to a long suspension, but it's much more likely that Allen will continue to be one of the NFL's best defensive ends, while Harvey will be the typical NFL rookie who shows flashes of greatness and flashes of being lost.

And given the choice, you'd rather have the vet.