Report: Seahawks in talks with Minnesota about Jared Allen trade. Or not.

Well this is interesting…

There are certainly areas in which the Seahawks could improve this year, but their pass rush is hardly the first thing that comes to mind. Even so, it appears they’re looking at that possibility. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Seahawks are making an 11th-hour push to acquire Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen before this afternoon’s 1 p.m. PT trade deadline.

Seattle making 11th-hour push to trade for Vikings Pro-Bowl DE Jared Allen, per multiple sources. Vikings also talking to second team.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 29, 2013

Schefter also notes that the Vikings want a second-round pick for Allen, but might consider a conditional third-round pick. The Seahawks, however, do not have a third-round pick in 2014, having sent that to Minnesota already as part of the Percy Harvin trade.

Unless an injury occurred Monday night that Pete Carroll didn’t disclose, or unless a player is involved, this seems like a curious move. As good as Allen is, the Seahawks are loaded with pass rushers, and adding Allen would thin out another draft a year after the Seahawks didn’t have a first-round pick (part of the Harvin trade). As players like Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas get their big paydays—assuming they stay in Seattle—the Seahawks will have to find cheap replacements at positions where they’re currently paying big money (D-line, TE, WR) if they want to keep winning. Doing that means drafting well over the next few years, something obviously becomes harder with less draft capital.

Acquiring Allen would also require him restructuring his deal, because Allen is due more than $7 million still this season, which is significantly more than Seattle’s current cap space.

One other possibility? Other teams are said to be involved in talks with Allen. Let’s say perhaps the 49ers were one of them, would we put it past Carroll and John Schneider to get involved just to try to drive up the price?

UPDATE

Now Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer is reporting that Seattle is not, in fact, a player for Allen. Glazer is generally pretty tapped in on NFL transactions, so this whole thing may indeed be a Vikings smokescreen to try to drive up the price for some other team.

Contrary to what is out there Seattle is NOT one of the teams in it for Jared Allen. Two others but Seattle is not talking to Vikes for him

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) October 29, 2013

UPDATE NO. 2

Seahawks not expected to trade for Vikings DE Jared Allen now. One source said the Seahawks have decided to not actively pursue him.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 29, 2013

Well apparently this thing is officially dead. Not long after Glazer’s report, Schefter said the Seahawks are no longer interested in Allen. Carry on.