Allen trade brings smiles to the faces of defenders

Pressure? Pat Williams certainly doesn't feel any these days.

The veteran nose tackle -- joined by fellow defensive linemen Kevin Williams, Ray Edwards and Jared Allen at the Vikings' draft party Saturday -- was all smiles as he talked about what Allen's presence will mean to the line.

"I love it. It's all focused on us now," Williams said. "Adrian Peterson got all the pub last year. Adrian Peterson, Adrian Peterson. Now, it's on defense. We're going to have some fun."

Williams was quickly asked if the Vikings' front four might be in a situation to actually share the spotlight with an offense led by the Pro Bowl running back. "It ain't going to balance out," Williams said, laughing. "We're going to be better than the offense. We're going to get all the pub."

Allen led the NFL with 151/2 sacks last season with Kansas City, and his acquisition will result in Edwards moving to left end, a position he played at Purdue. Edwards said the biggest difference in playing the left side will be the size of the tackles he lines up against. "Usually when you're playing the right end you're going to get the much bigger tackles, but on the left side the tackles are not as big," he said.

Edwards had five sacks in 12 games last season -- he was suspended for the final four games for violating the NFL's steroid policy -- to finish in a three-way tie for the team lead. He stated his goal is to break the single-season record of 22.5 set by the Giants' Michael Strahan in 2001.

The sack issue isn't as important to Pat Williams, who was instrumental in the Vikings having the top run defense in the NFL last season.

"I'm going to get all the tackles in the backfield," Williams said. "They want the quarterback, I want the running back."

Harvey's value

Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey was a player the Vikings were eyeing before they acquired Allen from Kansas City. That trade cost the Vikings their first-round pick in Saturday's draft, No. 17 overall, as well as two third-round selections and a swap of sixth-round picks that dropped them five spots.

That was an expensive price, but consider what Jacksonville did Saturday in order to draft Harvey. The Jaguars swapped first-rounders with Baltimore to go from No. 26 to No. 8 and also sent two third-round picks and a fourth-rounder to the Ravens.

Quick production

It wasn't easy, but the Vikings were able to get a shipment of No. 69 jerseys with Allen's name on the back to Winter Park in time for Saturday's draft party.

"It was a scramble with Reebok to get them made up and produced, but we do have them available," Steve LaCroix, Vikings VP for sales and marketing. "They are the replica authentics as well as additional replicas. Sales are being pre-ordered via our website and team stores. Adrian [Peterson] still continues to be the top-selling jersey in the league, and we'll be interested to see how many 69 jerseys are being worn."

Etc.

• Center Matt Birk and running back Chester Taylor are the only two Vikings not taking part in the offseason conditioning program. Birk, entering the final season of his contract and hasn't been approached about an extension, is skipping the voluntary portion of the team's program. Taylor usually works out on his own, so his absence isn't a surprise.

Staff writer Kevin Seifert contributed to this notebook.