Tag: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

Vikings sign WR Justin Hall, waive two others, following game against Browns

The Vikings signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore and wide receiver Justin Hall while waiving punter Seth Vernon and wide receiver Ty James.

The Minnesota Vikings signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore and wide receiver Justin Hall while waiving punter Seth Vernon and wide receiver Ty James. We have discussed the Gilmore signing after it broke early Sunday morning but the news of Hall signing is new to the team and fans.

Hall entered the NFL in 2022 after a college career at Ball State, where he averaged 10.6 yards per reception and had 17 touchdowns. He went undrafted but signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. He never appeared in a regular-season game for the team but signed with the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL, where he found success in one season with the team.

In corresponding moves, the team released punter Seth Vernon, who was competing for the starting job opposite Ryan Wright, and wide receiver Ty James.

Hall enters a loaded and competitive wide receiver room where he will have to fight for a roster spot with just one game left in the preseason. Meanwhile, the punting competition is now over, and Wright is seemingly awarded the job.

Where do things stand with Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah?

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has had a very good offseason and preseason for the Vikings on a variety of fronts. What does that mean for his future?

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has quietly had a very good offseason and preseason for the Vikings on a variety of fronts. What does that mean for his future, though?

Despite his success, Kevin Seifert of ESPN chose him as a potential hot seat candidate.

To be fair, the article’s point made each NFL beat reporter choose someone within the franchise to be on the hot seat, but it doesn’t mean he necessarily is. Despite that, Seifert does make some strong points in regard to him being on a hot seat heading into a contract year in 2025.

“After he used 7 draft picks in April to maneuver for edge rusher Dallas Turner, Adofo-Mensah has only 3 picks in the 2025 draft to further improve the team,” Seifert wrote. “A bad season wouldn’t necessarily cost Adofo-Mensah his job, but it could inform owners Zygi and Mark Wilf’s decision on whether to extend his contract or let him enter its final season in 2025.”

It is safe to say Adofo-Mensah will get a contract extension; it is just a matter of when. He has turned around his draft woes into successes in recent years, getting Jordan Addison, J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner. He also has done a good job of identifying talent in the UDFA pool post-draft.

In 2023, Adofo-Mensah was able to secure Ivan Pace Jr., who is now the team’s Mike linebacker. In 2024, we saw plays made by Dwight McGlothern, Bo Richter and Taki Taimani during the preseason.

Adofo-Mensah has built a strong roster. While injuries have caused some issues, it is important to look at the big picture, and the Wilfs have shown they can do that.

Despite Darrisaw’s new contract, Vikings have plenty of cap room in 2025

The Vikings have done well paying players with contracts that allow flexibility, look no further than the extension of Christian Darrisaw.

The salary cap is the boogeyman of the NFL world, it is only real if you make it real. The Minnesota Vikings have done a tremendous job paying players with contracts that allow the boogeyman to remain away at all times.

Look no further than the latest contract extension of Christian Darrisaw.

The team extended Darrisaw on Wednesday to a contract worth up to $113 million over four years. The deal is being tacked onto the end of his rookie contract which will allow the team to remain flexible in the salary cap next offseason.

They spent some money this year, shelling out over $130 million in contracts to their free-agent signings. Not to mention the $253 million they gave between Justin Jefferson and Darrisaw to extend them. Despite all of that, the team is expected to have somewhere in the neighborhood of $75 million to spend on free agent salaries in 2025.

According to Spotrac, that is good for the fifth-most cap space in the NFL.

The defense is expected to be the focus in terms any overhauls in the next offseason as the offense proved to be the focus this year. The secondary and defensive line have some big names in free agency the team may be able to pull away from rivals and future opponents.

Time will tell but it appear General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has set himself up nicely for the next offseason.

Packers extend DL Kenny Clark taking away a Vikings free agent target in 2025

The Vikings were expected to address the defensive line in 2025 free agency but one of the stars is no longer apart of the class.

The Minnesota Vikings have been expected to address the defensive line in the 2025 free agency cycle since it was considered a loaded class. That group lost one of its star names on Sunday when the Packers extended the veteran defensive tackle.

Clark signed a three-year, $69 million extension with the team and will make an average of $21.3 million annually.

The expected free-agent defensive linemen group included Clark, but it remains a strong group despite his absence. Other players who could make an impact include Cameron Heyward, Maliek Collins, Davon Godchaux, and B.J. Hill. All of those players would be a tremendous upgrade to their defensive line, which is a group that is vital to the success of Brian Flores’ defense.

If they don’t dip their toes into the free agent pool, the 2025 NFL Draft class is very talent-heavy at the defensive tackle position as well. If the Vikings finish as poorly as some project, they could be in a position to draft one of the top defenders in the class.

Lots of time left, but it will be a situation worth monitoring as players get extended throughout the calendar year.

Vikings first-round draft pick Dallas Turner signs rookie contract

Edge rusher and Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Dallas Turner signed his rookie contract, the team announced on Sunday.

Edge rusher and Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Dallas Turner signed his rookie contract, the team announced on Sunday.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the contract as a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $15.76 million, including a $8.28 million signing bonus and a fifth-year team option.

He and fellow first-rounder quarterback J.J. McCarthy signed their deals officially on Sunday, coinciding with the start of rookies reporting for Training Camp.

The Vikings had two first-round picks when the 2024 NFL Draft started, selections 11 and 23 overall. General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded up from 23 to 17 overall to select Dallas Turner after he was expected to go in the top ten but fell in the draft, as did all defensive players.

Turner played three years at Alabama and accumulated 22.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss. He is expected to make an immediate impact as a starter on the edge, opposite Jonathan Greenard, who joined the team during the offseason.

Turner and McCarthy were two of the last three first-round draft picks to sign with their team. Amarius Mims of the Cincinnati Bengals joined them with that distinction, but no more.

Rookies reported to training camp on Sunday, and veterans report on July 23.

Bleacher Report says Christian Darrisaw extension is most important for Vikings

The Jefferson extension was a major hurdle for the Vikings franchise, now it is time to focus on the next one for another franchise pillar.

The Justin Jefferson extension was a major hurdle for the Vikings franchise, now it is time to focus on the next one for another franchise pillar. It is one thing to draft great players if you are a front office, it is another to be able to retain them.

For Christian Darrisaw, all signs point to him not only deserving of an extension but also making it a priority to get one done.

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Ryan Fowler discussed which team’s most important player should be extended next. Christian Darrisaw was the obvious answer, and he agreed. What, again, is the interesting discussion around Darrisaw is the money for his extension.

“Darrisaw’s likely average per year will land near $28 million. But, with Penei Sewell’s recent deal and the expected extension to come with Tristan Wirfs (Tampa Bay), Minnesota would present themselves with leverage monetarily if they are able to get a deal done sooner rather than later.”

That Tristan Wirfs detail is most important because the Vikings did this to the Cowboys and 49ers. They extended Justin Jefferson before they could extend Brandon Aiyuk and CeeDee Lamb. Had they extended their players before Jefferson, who knows what the situation would’ve turned into.

Thankfully, the Darrisaw deal seems like a foregone conclusion, like Jefferson, but that doesn’t change the fact the Vikings are better to get a deal done as soon as possible.

Vikings GM: ‘Never a second in my mind’ Justin Jefferson extension wouldn’t get done

On Monday, the Vikings extended Justin Jefferson and gave him an extension and in Kwesi Aodofo-Mensah’s mind it was always happening.

On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings extended Justin Jefferson and gave him the richest contract to someone who doesn’t play the quarterback position. In the mind of General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, that was always going to be the end result.

Speaking at a press conference announcing the deal, Adofo-Mensah made it very clear that this deal and the future of Jefferson were never up in the air. He confirmed they never entertained any trade scenarios, while also stating that this process was never frustrating or prolonged. He explained it as a negotiation that started last offseason, took a break, and returned to it this offseason to finish it.

“There was never a second in my mind that we weren’t going to be here,” Adofo-Mensah said at the press conference.

Both he and Kevin O’Connell also acknowledged how special a player Justin Jefferson is. They know keeping him in a Vikings uniform is and was important, now, they do that for the next five years.

Jaguars GM Trent Baalke liked the Dallas Turner selection for the Vikings

The selection of Dallas Turner has been praised by fans and media alike but it seems that Jaguars’ Trent Baalke liked the move as well.

The selection of Dallas Turner in the 2024 NFL Draft has been praised by fans and media alike. However, it seems that Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke also liked the move for the Vikings.

In a video posted on the Jacksonville Jaguars YouTube channel, the trade negotiations between Baalke and Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can be heard. Baalke and Adofo-Mensah go back and forth in the video, but the end result is the Jaguars front office figurehead asks if the team is going up for Dallas Turner, to which they respond, “Yes.”

Baalke, in turn, responds with “good pick” before the team finalizes the trade that sent the Jaguars the team’s 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They also received the Viking’s third and fourth-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, all for the ability to move up to 17 to select Dallas Turner.

Dallas Turner has impressed so far in OTAs and rookie minicamp. He and Jonathan Greenard are hoping to give the Vikings an excellent pairing along the edge.

Negotiations loom for Vikings and ‘building block’ Christian Darrisaw

The Minnesota Vikings are dealing with one grueling contract extension currently but have another on the horizon for Christian Darrisaw. 

The Minnesota Vikings are dealing with one grueling contract extension currently but have another on the horizon for Christian Darrisaw.

Kevin Seifert of ESPN mentioned in his latest piece that the Vikings and Darrisaw have had early discussions, but no deal is close to imminent. Seifert also mentions that no deal is expected to take place this year and to be honest, why would it? The team is dealing with their Justin Jefferson contract talks, so hammering out two big extensions at once may not be feasible.

However, Kevin Seifert points out that Darrisaw is critical to the team’s future success.

“Darrisaw is every bit the building block that Jefferson is… the Vikings view him as a player who can hold down his position into the next decade. There have been initial talks between the sides, as would be expected, but there is no indication that a deal — which would be two years early, something that happens in relatively rare occasions — is imminent.”

The Vikings, having a young offensive core of Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw, could set the franchise up for success in the foreseeable future. Both will need to be paid, but as the division rival Detroit Lions have shown, it can be done.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will have to do his best Brad Holmes impression to get these deals done or else someone else will.

Adam Schefter: Justin Jefferson on pace to be ‘highest-paid non-QB in NFL history’

The wide receiver market has expanded to something not many people could have expected. Justin Jefferson is the next to benefit from it.

The wide receiver market has expanded to something not many people could have expected. Justin Jefferson is the next to benefit from it. When we say benefit from it, we mean it to the max regarding a financial situation because he is likely to reset the market entirely.

Adam Schefter of ESPN believes that Jefferson will reset the market for wide receivers and become “the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.”

In a segment on Sportcenter, the ESPN insider stated he not only “believes” a deal gets done, but it will have major financial implications.

“It is expected to make Justin Jefferson the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. So it will be a landmark type of a deal, and I think some of the other WRs are waiting to see where the Justin Jefferson deal comes in before they do a deal because they know the size and scope of this deal that the two sides have been working on throughout the course of the offseason.”

The thoughts on the current situation between the Vikings and Jefferson are all over the place. Most people, myself included, believe the deal gets done and both parties live happily ever after. On the flip side, some believe if it drags out to training camo, we may face a serious problem.

Both sides can be right, but the Vikings, at this point, need to make this deal a thing; they will have to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback, and doing it sooner rather than later is the ideal move.