MN Vikings Hire Former Bears GM to Advise Nolan Teasley
The Minnesota Vikings went through a rather arduous process to come up with their next general manager. After firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Wilfs opted against installing a new leader before free agency or the NFL Draft.
It didn’t take long after the new general manager Nolan Teasley was officially installed as leader of the front office that he started reshaping the franchise in his image.
After months of the Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski show, Teasley has come in with guns ablazing, firing multiple longtime executives and hiring what is now more than a handful of his own people from outside the organization. quickly bringing in a new guard.
Ryan Pace joins Minnesota Vikings front office
On Tuesday, news broke that the MN Vikings are hiring Atlanta Falcons vice president of football operations and player personnel, Ryan Pace as Nolan Teasley’s “football advisor”. It’s noteworthy that, before he worked for the Falcons, Pace was general manager of the division rival Chicago Bears from 2015-2021.
The #Vikings are hiring former Bears GM Ryan Pace as a football advisor for new GM Nolan Teasley, and they’re adding Seahawks scout Azzaam Kapadia as assistant director of pro scouting.
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) June 16, 2026
Pace certainly had a questionable tenure with the Bears. However, bringing him on as a guy who has done it all and seen it all, to help assist Teasley’s dealings across the job makes a ton of sense.
As Goessling reported, Teasley has also hired Azzaam Kapadia, who worked with him in Seattle the past three seasons. Kapadia was promoted to Pro Scout from a Player Personnel Assistant role last year. Prior to his time with the Seahawks, the new Vikings exec worked with the University of Virginia football team.
MN Vikings new front office tasked with massive decision
Nolan Teasley and the collection of smart football people he’s brought in are facing an immediate test with the Minnesota Vikings. Previous GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted J.J. McCarthy three years ago.
And there’s less and less tying the front office to that former No. 10 overall pick with every hire Teasley makes. Kyler Murray is likely to win out whatever QB competition there may be, come training camp.
From there, the Vikings have to decide whether McCarthy should stick around and/or Murray is the long term answer at quarterback. Otherwise, they most pivot entirely next offseason… starting at quarterback.
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