Category: Minnesota Vikings

Zulgad: 2024 NFL draft set to be biggest for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

The 2024 NFL draft could very well make or break GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s future with the organization.

The very plugged-in Dianna Russini of The Athletic had an eyebrow-raising item on Monday in the digital version of the publication’s Scoop City newsletter. It was more of a tease for her Wednesday column, but if you follow the Minnesota Vikings, it caught your attention.

Russini wrote:

I have a list of five GM’s who I believe need to nail this draft for their own job security and, more importantly, their team’s future. This Wednesday, my column will go live. But I’ll give you an exclusive here: The GM under the most pressure in this draft is the Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Three years into his regime, his Vikings are 20-14 but without a playoff win. After letting Kirk Cousins walk — despite his head coach’s public desire to keep the QB — Adofo-Mensah is running out of time. This might be the best opportunity he has to add a franchise-altering passer.

I expect the Vikings to do everything they can do move up on Thursday to get their guy.

There is no mention of Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell being on the hot seat, yet Russini’s sources are telling her that if Adofo-Mensah doesn’t get this right, he could be shown the door. Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell will be entering the third year of four-year contracts, and this marks the first time the two aren’t being linked together.

There are a couple of things at work here.

Russini appears to be indicating that if the Vikings don’t come away with a quarterback in the first round, quite possibly by paying a steep price to move into the top five, Adofo-Mensah will be the one to take the fall. That is, unless the Vikings grab a quarterback with the 11th pick or get into the top 10 and are able to get one of the top quarterbacks available in this draft. There are some who will tell you the Vikings would be happy coming away with Bo Nix at either Nos. 11 or 23, but that is up for debate.

Quarterback is the most pressing position for Adofo-Mensah, but if his job is in jeopardy it goes far beyond one spot. Adofo-Mensah’s first draft appears to be nearly a complete bust, and it’s likely owners Zygi and Mark Wilf are looking at their chief decision-maker and wondering what happened.

Adofo-Mensah’s defenders will point out that the 2022 draft came only three months after he was hired, meaning he didn’t have much of his staff in place. His critics will point to Adofo-Mensah’s decision to trade back from No. 12 to No. 32 — thus passing on star safety Kyle Hamilton at No. 14 — and taking seldom-used safety Lewis Cine.

That wasn’t an isolated blunder. The Vikings had 10 selections in that draft, and the only real contributors are right guard Ed Ingram, who had a miserable rookie season before showing some improvement last year; cornerback Akayleb Evans; and running back Ty Chandler. Evans has started 17 of 25 games in two seasons but isn’t guaranteed a starting role in 2024. Chandler is likely to be the backup to veteran free agent addition Aaron Jones.

Adofo-Mensah had better fortune last spring, taking promising wide receiver Jordan Addison at No. 23 and then grabbing cornerback Mekhi Blackmon in the third round. But the Vikings released a video from their draft room in the first round where Adofo-Mensah appeared to be discussing a trade of the 23rd pick as O’Connell encouraged him to take Addison.

So was Adofo-Mensah trying to work another trade of a first-round pick when there was a very productive player already available? That’s how it looked, and it looked as if O’Connell might have saved the day.

It was interesting that O’Connell said in a public appearance last week that he had shot down the front office’s desire to take a quarterback in the past two drafts.

“I have had to, in a lot of ways, fight off some mistakes from being made (previously), mainly because in the evaluation process I go through, I think about the things that are fixable,” O’Connell said.

It’s fair to assume that means that Adofo-Mensah might have been interested in drafting quarterbacks in either 2022 or 2023, or both, and that O’Connell stepped in to make sure what he considered a mistake wasn’t made.

O’Connell’s comments also made it obvious that if the Vikings do get a quarterback, it will be his decision. That would mean Adofo-Mensah will be in charge of getting the Vikings in the right position before getting out of the way.

The Wilfs made an interesting decision to replace former general manager and football lifer Rick Spielman with an Ivy League-educated data expert who once worked on Wall Street.

Adofo-Mensah was a commodities trader and portfolio manager before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 2013 as a research and development specialist. He was the vice president of football operations for the Cleveland Browns for two seasons before getting his first shot as a GM with the Vikings.

The Wilfs knew they were taking a gamble by turning to Adofo-Mensah as their GM and, clearly, there are some in the Vikings organization who are skeptical about whether this is working. If the Vikings get their franchise quarterback, Adofo-Mensah might not get much of the credit, but his job should be safe. But if O’Connell comes away from this draft unhappy with the process and the Vikings miss the playoffs for a second year in a row, Adofo-Mensah could find himself as a convenient fall guy.

Adam Schefter: Vikings and Giants ‘most interested’ in trading up

On the Pat McAfee show, Adam Schefter reported the Minnesota Vikings have competition from the New York Giants to move up in the NFL draft.

The NFL draft is tomorrow, and we could see a whole lot of drama at the top. It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings need a quarterback, and conventional wisdom says they’re looking to move up to get one. The problem? They’re far from the only team that needs a QB, and they may not be the only ones looking to move up, either.

According to Adam Schefter in an interview on the Pat McAfee Show, the Vikings could be competing with the New York Giants to trade up for their quarterback. McAfee asked Schefter about the New England Patriots’ position at three, and Schefter mentioned that the Vikings and Giants have been the two most active in trade talks with New England.

Unlike the Giants, the Vikings have not one, but two, first round picks they can package together in an effort to move up. On the other hand, the Giants currently have the number six overall pick in the draft, which could be appealing for the Patriots if they think they can move down a few spots and still get a quarterback — perhaps former Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that New England certainly has a need at the position of their own. The Patriots traded former starting quarterback Mac Jones in the offseason and, though they are reportedly listening to offers, may not be able to be convinced to move off that spot.

If Minnesota is going to move up into the top 3 in an effort to land former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, they’re certainly fighting an uphill battle. One that may prove to be impossible to overcome. We’ll find out tomorrow night!

CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones: Vikings hesitant to give up No. 23 to trade up

The Minnesota Vikings are likely looking to trade up in tomorrow’s NFL draft, but they are reportedly hesitant to give up their second pick.

With the NFL draft just a day away, the rumors are coming in fast and heavy. The latest from CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones paints an interesting picture for the Minnesota Vikings and what they may get out of Thursday’s first round.

While it’s long been assumed that the Vikings acquired the 23rd pick in the draft from the Houston Texans as more ammunition to move up from No. 11 to take a quarterback, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is hesitant to put that pick in a package, reports Jones.

Adofo-Mensah may have no choice about including that second first-round pick in a trade package. The cost to move up into the top five (or six) is already steep, and it’s even more steep when it’s a quarterback you’re attempting to move up for. Add in the fact that it’s a poorly kept secret that you’re on the market for a quarterback, and the price could be even higher.

One thing that may be working in the Vikings’ favor is that they have a couple of options when looking to move up. There are arguably three quarterbacks whom the Vikings could take — Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy — and there are two teams (the Cardinals and Chargers) picking in the top five that likely aren’t looking to take a quarterback.

The majority of rumors coming out recently have centered on the New England Patriots at No. 3 overall, but if the Vikings are content with the fourth quarterback off the board, they may be able to pull off a trade that doesn’t force them to sacrifice that second first-round pick.

Vikings land J.J. McCarthy and Jer’Zhan Newton in 33rd Team mock draft

The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov sends Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy and Illinois DT Johnny Newton to the Minnesota Vikings in his latest mock draft.

One of the biggest questions coming into this week’s NFL draft is if the Minnesota Vikings are going to be able to get their quarterback of the future, and just how much they’re going to have to give up to do so. But what if the Vikings don’t have to give up anything and can still land a potential franchise QB?

That’s the scenario that played out in the latest mock draft from The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. Meirov has the Vikings standing pat at the 11th spot and still landing former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Here’s Meirov’s analysis of the selection and McCarthy’s fit in Minnesota:

A trade-up could likely be required for the Minnesota Vikings to get a quarterback in this draft, but I don’t think they will have to go all the way to No. 4 with Arizona the way most people think, especially if it’s for J.J. McCarthy. Assuming it can’t get Maye, Minnesota could be more patient and let the draft come to them; trading up to No. 7 or 8 would make more sense.

McCarthy is the most polarizing quarterback of the top four. Still, he would walk into easily the best position of anyone: Minnesota has the play-caller in Kevin O’Connell, the playmakers with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones, and the protection with bookend tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

With the Vikings not trading up for a quarterback, they’re able to keep their second first-round pick and can bolster the team even further. In this mock, they’re able to beef up their defensive line with the 23rd pick, taking former Illinois defensive tackle Johnny (Jer’Zhan) Newton.

The Minnesota Vikings could very well not even have this pick if they trade up, which many people think is likely. Jer’Zhan Newton had more than 100 pressures over the past two seasons, and some people rate him as the draft’s top interior defensive lineman.

The First-Team All-American had surgery in January to repair a fracture in his foot and did not do any workouts during the pre-draft process.

This draft would be just about a dream scenario for the Vikings. They’d be able to land a quarterback they’re heavily rumored to be in on, and would get to keep their draft assets to land a player who most draft analysts have as the top interior defensive lineman available.

Adam Schefter: ‘Resolution coming soon’ in Kirk Cousins tampering case

According to ESPN Insider Adam Schefter, the NFL could come down with punishment for the Atlanta Falcons this week in their tampering case.

The NFL draft starts on Thursday, and the event could be in for a big shakeup. And no, we’re not talking about the Minnesota Vikings trading up for a quarterback — for once. Instead, we’re talking about a former Vikings quarterback, Kirk Cousins, and the league’s tampering investigation centered on his signing with the Atlanta Falcons.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the league could conclude its investigation and hand down the punishment as early as this week, which could have an effect on the first round of the draft. There is precedent for the league to take away a team’s draft picks for tampering.

The Miami Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick in last year’s draft, along with a third-round pick in this year’s draft, in two separate tampering cases involving former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and former Saints head coach Sean Payton. That punishment was handed down in August 2022.

Before that, the league stripped the Kansas City Chiefs of a third-round pick in 2016 and a sixth-round selection in 2017 for their tampering with former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in 2015.

In both cases, members of the coaching staffs and/or front office personnel received fines in addition to the draft pick forfeitures. Schefter reports that there are some sources who believe that the punishment for the Falcons is “likely to involve draft picks” and “is expected to be more severe.”

However severe the punishment winds up being, it’s probably unlikely the league would grant the Minnesota Vikings any compensation despite rumors that Minnesota could be granted the Falcons’ selection, which is currently No. 8 in Thursday’s first round.

Kevin O’Connell jokes about trading for third overall pick

While taking questions at his church, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell joked about sending flowers to Patriots’ Robert Kraft.

It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings are likely looking to draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. It’s also no secret that if they want to draft one of the top prospects, they’re going to have to trade up. One of the more likely options for a trade-up scenario is the New England Patriots, but they also need a quarterback and likely want a haul for the pick.

The Vikings are going to have to put together a pretty sweet deal if they’re going to convince the Patriots to move off the #3 pick. During an interview at his church, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell joked about sweetening the deal by “sending Robert Kraft a bouquet of flowers the other day”.

Jokes aside, O’Connell and the rest of the Vikings’ brass know they’re going to have to put together a great deal to convince the Patriots — who have a significant need at the position as well and are already in place to grab one of the top prospects — to move down. Doing whatever they can to butter up Kraft and the Patriots’ decision-makers isn’t a bad strategy to try and lessen that demand.

Will they be able to make something happen before Thursday’s first round kicks off? We’ll find out in a couple of days!

Mike Reiss: Patriots staying at No. 3 in draft barring unexpected blockbuster offer

ESPN insider Mike Reiss reports the New England Patriots will stay at No. 3 in Thursday’s 2024 NFL draft barring a blockbuster offer.

Day 1 of the 2024 NFL draft is Thursday, and there’s a ton of suspense regarding how things are going to play out. Perhaps the most intriguing storyline is how the Minnesota Vikings will get their future quarterback.

According to ESPN NFL Nation reporter Mike Reiss, it likely won’t come through a trade with the New England Patriots, who hold the third overall pick. Reiss writes that the Patriots are planning on moving forward with picking at their current slot “barring an unexpected blockbuster trade offer.”

The stance makes a ton of sense for the Patriots, who also need a quarterback. The consensus top four quarterbacks in the draft are Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy. Picking in the third slot ensures they get one of those players.

That said, the Vikings are one of the few teams that have the draft assets to be able to pull off a “blockbuster” trade — if they value getting their quarterback that early. Minnesota has the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round, along with seven selections in the rest of the draft.

However, outside of the two first-rounders, none of the remaining picks are before the fourth round, which means a trade with the Patriots would likely include early picks in 2025. Thankfully, the Vikings have a full complement of picks in 2025 (with an extra fifth-round pick in place of a sixth).

The question is, will general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah be willing to give up the assets needed to make such a deal? Would he and the Vikings’ decision makers be content to get whichever QB is left after New England picks and try to make a deal with the Arizona Cardinals — who don’t need a quarterback and might be willing to take less to move back?

We’ll find out in a couple of days.

Jeremy Fowler: Jayden Daniels ‘intrigued’ by Minnesota Vikings

According to ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler, LSU QB Jayden Daniels is “unsure” of playing for the Commanders and “intrigued” by the Vikings.

With the NFL draft less than a week away, the rumor mill is starting to heat up. That includes the possibility of a top-flight draft prospect not playing for the team that drafts him.

In a recent segment on SportsCenter, ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler stated that there’s some real smoke behind the rumors that former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is unsure of the Washington Commanders. Currently, the Commanders sit with the second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and are in a prime position to draft the athletic quarterback.

Fowler went on to state that Daniels has an interest in playing for the Las Vegas Raiders and being reunited with one of his former coaches at Arizona State, Antonio Pierce. However, as Fowler mentions, the Raiders are unlikely to be able to trade up that far and get Daniels.

Then, Fowler mentioned that Daniels is “intrigued” by the possibility of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have a real need at the position, and unlike the Raiders, they have the assets to be able to move up for him. Currently, the Vikings have both the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

It’s long been thought that the Vikings are a prime candidate to move up in the draft to grab a quarterback. Daniels would be an intriguing prospect for the team and an interesting fit in the offense that head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to run in Minnesota. Just how much fire is there to this smoke? We’ll find out on Thursday.

Justin Jefferson, Adrian Peterson show up to Timberwolves playoff game

Adrian Peterson and Justin Jefferson showed up to support the Timberwolves as they kickoff their quest for a NBA champiosnhip.

The state of Minnesota sports fandom is always a cross between euphoria and comatose. Depending on the time of year, what team is causing it? Right now, despite the NFL draft being right around the corner, basketball is king.

The other sports tend to show up whenever the basketball team is on a run. On Saturday, the Timberwolves took the court as the number one seed in the Western Conference, and two Vikings showed up.

One legend to attend is Adrian Peterson, and another future legend is Justin Jefferson.

The Target Center was ready for a sellout crowd, shirts lined the seats, and the legends showed up. Justin Jefferson making a public appearance despite not showing up to team activities could be seen as a move with an anterior motive, or perhaps it means they are close to a deal.

Only time will tell, for now, enjoy the Timberwolves game if you are Jefferson before the chaos of draft week starts unfolding.

Vikings beat writer confident team will make NFL draft deal

Star Tribune Minnesota Vikings beat reporter Ben Goessling believes the team will “do what it takes” to trade up in the upcoming NFL draft.

The NFL draft is less than a week away, and the rumor mill just keeps on spinning! While it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Minnesota Vikings are intent on taking a quarterback in the first round, they’re likely going to need some help to do so. If they want one of the top options in the 2024 NFL draft class, they’re going to have to trade up to get them.

Star Tribune’s Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, Ben Goessling feels confident that the Vikings will “do what it takes to make the deal,” he said on a recent appearance on KFAN1003, a Minnesota sports station.

Minnesota is currently sitting with both the 11th and 23rd picks in the NFL draft, after trading with the Houston Texans to acquire a second pick in the first round. It’s long be thought that the trade was simply the Vikings gathering assets to make another move so they can get their quarterback.

The team has been heavily linked in mock drafts to a number of different quarterbacks, but the top two seem to be former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. If Minnesota is dead-set on landing Maye, they’re likely going to have to trade into the top 3, which means pulling off a trade with either the Washington Commanders or the New England Patriots — both of whom need quarterbacks of their own.

The fact that Washington and New England could be on the market for a QB certainly complicates the situation. Minnesota will likely have to overpay if they want to move up. Will general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah be willing to part with enough assets to make the move? At least one beat writer thinks so.