Why MN Vikings Stayed Quiet at NFL Trade Deadline Revealed

By Eric Strack |

Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL trade deadline has officially come and gone. And while the 4-4 Minnesota Vikings came in with areas of clear need, like cornerback, safety and quarterback, the final buzzer sounded Tuesday afternoon without a peep out of the TCO Performance Center offices in Eagan.

It wasn’t for a lack of action league-wide, because it was a busy deadline. The New York Jets were offloading star players like they were “must go” items at the neighborhood’s hottest garage sale, sending Sauce Gardner to Indy and DT Quinnen Williams to Dallas for a total of three first round picks and one second.

The Saints shipped away WR Rashid Shaheed to Seattle for a package of day three picks. We also saw a willingness to sell from the Titans and Raiders. Yet, the MN Vikings stood pat, deciding to roll forward the rest of the season, largely with pieces they already have on roster.

Why did Minnesota Vikings stand pat at 2025 NFL Trade Deadline?

What is the thinking behind Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s inaction, in the days/hours leading up the 3 p.m. CST? According to beat writer Alec Lewis (The Athletic), the Vikings are supposedly working under the belief that they do not have any real weaknesses on the roster, as long as it’s healthy.

On the Vikings at deadline: No season-ending injuries warranting replacement, no major holes. Definitely made considerations. Simultaneously, team has been very mindful of generating/maintaining draft capital moving forward. Their investment in '25 is obvious. Roster costs $344M.
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) November 4, 2025

First, let’s address this fallacy that the Minnesota Vikings roster, as currently constructed, has no weaknesses. It’s an important part of this conversation, because it’s not true, even if we somehow pretend this team will stay healthy for the next 9 weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs.

In the secondary alone, the Vikings could 100% use a talented addition that would balance out that room and move guys like Jeff Okudah and Fabian Moreau down the depth chart. They have two sub-25 year olds occupying the QB room and they could still use more help in the backfield, among other things.

Which brings us to the real reason general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah likely sat on his hands today. Given the last part of Alec’s tweet above — “[the Vikings] investment in ’25 is obvious. Roster costs $344M” — it’s pretty clear the Wilfs are uninterested in investing more money into the 2025 roster.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah cut off from Wilf’s bank account?

Why? Because they they’re already scheduled to pay nearly $350 million for a winning team. So when the dust settles, if Zygi & Co. do not receive what they believe is a worthy return on their investment, then it sounds to me like there will be a different conversation taking place between ownership and the MN Vikings GM, regarding his future with the organization.

And assuming my inference is correct, the Wilfs are 100% right. The MN Vikings spent more money over the summer than just about any other team in the NFL. If that investment results in winning, then great. That’s why you made it.

Don’t think there was an obvious path here. The state of the Kwesi discourse is that some will be upset with no moves. Others would be irritated if he gave up more draft picks. FWIW, they already have one of the NFL’s most expensive rosters. https://t.co/3jTM47DVWy
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) November 4, 2025

But if not, then smart businessmen do not continue to re-invest in a failing product. Instead, they re-evaluate what’s not working. And when they do that on the 2025 Vikings, where will the biggest issues be? At the top of the front office.

After all, it’s Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s failed draft classes year-after-year that are forcing the Minnesota Vikings to rely on high-priced free agent acquisitions in ways that are not historically sustainable in any pro sport, outside of big market Major League Baseball teams.

Is this the Wilfs telling Kwesi, ‘Hey, we have already given you enough money to win. If you don’t, that’s on you.’? Because it sure feels that way. Even though they gave Adofo-Mensah a contract extension last offseason, trusting a historically poor drafter to rebuild through the draft… makes very little sense.