MN Vikings Expected to Make Push for Familiar GM
The Minnesota Vikings have a familiar new name at the top of their front office hierarchy, after firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah exactly one week ago, and promoting longtime executive Rob Brzezinski to interim general manager.
There’s a potential that the Vikings stick with Brzezinski long-term. But even if not, the 28-year team executive has at least regained control of the front office — with heavy input from Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores — through April’s draft.
According to what Kevin Seifert (ESPN) wrote this morning, the Vikings’ first order of business, in finding their new GM, will be to gauge the interest Brzezinski really has in keeping the GM job, longterm.
As Seifert points out, Rob has been in higher positions of Vikings power before, only to willingly relinquish those duties to a new boss (Spielman, Kwesi, others).
Minnesota Vikings interest in George Paton confirmed
Once Minnesota gets on the same page with their salary cap guru and his vision of the future, per Seifert, they are indeed expected to make a run at George Paton. If they can’t land Paton, only then does it appear the Wilfs would seriously consider a different outside hire.
First order of business, after determining Brzezinski’s interest [in the GM job], will be to find out whether the Broncos would make Paton available and, if so, if the Vikings would need to compensate them first.
Otherwise, the Vikings will work through a process that has little precedent in recent NFL history.
Kevin Seifert – ESPN
Before he took over as Denver Broncos general manager in 2021, George Paton was an executive in the Minnesota Vikings organization for 13 years, from 2007-2020. His contract isn’t up in Denver until after next season, which could cause complications.
It would be asinine to rehire Spielman after determining a change of direction was needed. That said, the Vikings’ serious interest in Rick’s protege offers all the insight we need into just how desperate Minnesota is to distance itself from the Kwesi era.
From the sounds of it, if Paton was available on the open market, his return to the Minnesota Vikings probably be signed, sealed and delivered by now.
It’s striking how many league sources think that the Wilfs will pursue Denver Broncos general manager George Paton, who is under contract through the 2026 season, to change teams.
As a longtime football executive, Paton wouldn’t just embody the opposite of Adofo-Mensah. He would represent the closest way the Vikings could return to their previous regime, short of rehiring Spielman.
Kevin Seifert – ESPN
MN Vikings obvious fit for Paton
Seifert isn’t the only MN Vikings local reporter hearing the George Paton back to Minnesota chatter. Prior to Friday’s report, Alec Lewis (The Athletic) ranked Paton at the top of his Vikings GM candidate list, behind only Rob Brzezinski. National NFL insiders like Mike Sando (The Athletic) are making the connection, as well.
Former Vikings exec George Paton, now GM of the Broncos, would be a logical successor in Minnesota. His job with the Broncos changed fundamentally after the team hired Sean Payton as coach and gave Payton control of football operations.
Paton’s contract with the Broncos runs through the 2026 season.
Mike Sando – The Athletic
After five seasons in Denver, Paton has produced a 44-41 record as Broncos GM. Denver finished 10-7 and went to the Wild Card game during QB Bo Nix’s rookie season. This year, who knows how far the 14-3 Broncos would have gone, had Nix not broken his ankle in their first playoff win.
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