Three Vikings GM Candidates Rise to Top of Insider List
With the dust now settling following the firing of Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the franchise must move forward. We have heard plenty of the stories as to why the Wilfs felt a need to move on. We also know they won’t be naming a successor until after the NFL Draft, but the position seems wide open.
Although the Vikings won’t start the hiring process for a matter of months, that doesn’t mean there won’t be some candidates that gain steam. Whether they become available on their own, or are logical links for the organization, a list of potentials suitors can be put together.
Rob Brzezinski is a logical MN Vikings GM contender
Minnesota Vikings insider Alec Lewis (The Athletic) has already started to consider what may play out on that front. Logically, in the wake firing a non-traditional GM like Kwesi was, it makes sense for the pendulum to swing back towards the other side. Rob Brzezinski is said to be a “football guy” and is holding down the fort right now. Based on everything we’ve heard about “Brz”, there’s no reason he can’t keep hold of the reins.
We’ll start with the man who will shepherd the team through the draft. Brzezinski is one of the Wilfs’ most trusted employees. He has worked for the team for two decades, leading contract negotiations. Many of the coaches respect Brzezinski, too. For years, high-ranking officials and agents around the NFL have suggested Brzezinski is worthy of a general manager position.
Alec Lewis – The Athletic
Brzezinski has been synonymous with salary cap gymnastics for years. He has also been around the organization for nearly three decades. It is certainly worth wondering if he’d actually want to step away from his current responsibilities on a permanent basis.
Few people know the organization better than Brzezinski does, having spent 27 years being apart of it. That could be a blessing and a curse when considering whether a change in title makes sense. For right now, though, he’s getting some pretty good insight into what the role would entail should he go for the job.
A Minnesota Vikings reunion with George Paton
Before taking over as the Denver Broncos general manager in 2021, George Paton worked for the Minnesota Vikings from 2007-2020. His contract is up in Denver following next season, and the Wilfs could try to lure him back.
His experience with coach Sean Payton, who has significant influence over personnel, would be useful in collaborating with O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores. His personnel history fits perfectly among the Vikings’ decision-makers.
Perhaps the most telling component of his potential return is how far Broncos owner Greg Penner and Payton would go to prevent him from departing.
Alec Lewis – The Athletic
If the Vikings want to go with someone that is currently outside the organization, but understands MN’s inner workings, then Paton checks the boxes. He was well-regarded here, and it would be a pretty straightforward plan to bring him back.
Paton also, coincidentally, drafted Bo Nix just after the Vikings grabbed J.J. McCarthy. No matter the influence of KOC for MN and Payton for DEN Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been fired for his moves as GM, while Patton currently has his franchise on the doorstep on the Super Bowl.
Ed Dodds could be a new Vikings outsider
If the Vikings want to go with fresh meat overall when it comes to organizational leadership, then Ed Dodds is a name that would check the box. He still has a football background, in scouting, and is currently the Indianapolis Colts assistant general manager.
He is a longtime scout with a no-nonsense disposition. The Athletic’s Zak Keefer profiled him in 2019 and wrote, “In the four months leading up to the draft, Dodds lives in the film room. His staff rips off 17 straight 12-hour workdays in February, poring through thousands of hours of tape, whittling each position down from hundreds to dozens.”
Alec Lewis – The Athletic
Dodd had interviews for general manager roles with the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans previously. While he didn’t land either of those roles, he’s clearly someone that has started to emerge as a serious candidate for that position.
The Minnesota Vikings brought in multiple players from the Colts last offseason, and the connections could continue if Dodd is the guy.
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