Top talent evaluator leaves the Minnesota Vikings front office
By Adam Patrick
George Paton is leaving the Minnesota Vikings to join the Denver Broncos.
When it comes to finding mid and late-round gems in the NFL Draft each season, there are few teams in the league that do it better than the Minnesota Vikings.
Over the years, the Vikings have watched players they have drafted after the first round evolve into NFL superstars including Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks, and Stefon Diggs.
Minnesota’s ability to find these players has been due to the work of multiple elite minds in their front office including a guy by the name of George Paton. Most recently, Paton held the role as the Vikings assistant general manager. But now, he has decided to leave the Twin Cities for a new adventure.
Minnesota Vikings lose George Paton to the Denver Broncos
For the last few years, Paton has interviewed for multiple general manager openings around the league. But none of these vacancies seemed to be the right fit for him.
This year, however, Paton has decided to take the leap and accept an offer to become the new general manager of the Denver Broncos. The Broncos will be getting someone who is one of the most well-respected talent evaluators in the league.
Some might wonder how much Paton actually had to do with Minnesota’s roster construction during his tenure with the team. Well, he was considered the Vikings’ “best evaluator of talent,” during his time with the organization. Minnesota definitely lost a significant part of their front office on Wednesday.
Now, Paton will be taking what he learned during his tenure with the Vikings and attempt to transform Denver back into a consistent contender in the AFC.
Will he follow the methods of his old boss, Rick Spielman, and place a heavy emphasis on the draft or will he lean more on free agency to fill some of the Broncos’ holes?
Denver reportedly signed him to a six-year contract, so he should have plenty of time to figure out what will work best for his new team.