Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will be extending his stay in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" a little longer, thanks to the work he has put into building the franchise.
On Friday, the Vikings announced that they had given Adofo-Mensah a multi-year contract extension. The two sides had been working on a deal for weeks, as Minnesota has now rewarded Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell with new deals.
While the last three years, since Adofo-Mensah took the general manager position, haven't always been smooth, he has done an exceptional job of building the Vikings into contenders again after years of being good, not great. His track record has demonstrated the work he has put in to establish a solid foundation for the franchise's future.
Recap of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's time as Minnesota Vikings general manager
Setting the stage for the Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell era, the Vikings had missed the postseason two consecutive years with former general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer. Spielman and Zimmer were both fired, and Minnesota brought in Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell to get the Vikings back on track.
Starting in his first year, 2022, Adofo-Mensah made a few memorable moves, instead focusing on developing the talent already on the roster. His most impactful addition was defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, as he's the only free-agent signing from that class still on the active roster.
The 2022 draft class did produce some contributors who are still helping the team with third-round pick Brian Asamoah, fifth-round pick Ty Chandler, sixth-round pick Jalen Nailor, and undrafted free agent Ryan Wright.
With the current roster in good hands, the Vikings went from an 8-9 team in 2021 to a 13-4 record and NFC North champions. That regular season success did not translate to playoff glory, as Minnesota lost to the New York Giants in the NFC Wild Card game, 31-24.
The 2023 offseason was even quieter in free agency. Still, Adofo-Mensah managed to bring in tight end Josh Oliver and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. Minnesota's draft was a significant improvement from 2022, as Jordan Addison was selected in the first round. It also led to the selection of third-round pick Mekhi Blackmon and fourth-round pick Jay Ward.
It was a downfall of a 2023 campaign that was headlined by quarterback Kirk Cousins getting injured and derailing the whole Vikings season. They were able to salvage a 7-10 record, but missed the postseason.
That inspired Adofo-Mensah to take a different approach to free agency, as it initiated a complete overhaul of the roster and led to significant spending in the offseason.
Cousins departed for the Atlanta Falcons and the Vikings, deciding to sign Sam Darnold and draft J.J. McCarthy in the first round as Cousins' replacement. They also signed the following free agents and draft picks:
- Aaron Jones (RB)
- Blake Cashman (LB)
- Jonathan Greenard (OLB)
- Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
- Shaquill Griffin (CB)
- Robert Tonyan (TE)
- Stephon Gilmore (CB)
- Dallas Turner (OLB - Draft)
- Will Reichard (K - Draft)
The change in the guard led to Darnold winning the starting quarterback job after McCarthy's season-ending injury, and Minnesota got things turned around with a 14-3 record and another playoff appearance. Similar to 2022, though, the Vikings did not fare well in the NFC Wild Card game as they got blown out by the Los Angeles Rams 27-9.
This offseason was the second straight year the Vikings were big spenders in free agency. Minnesota signed significant names like Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Isaiah Rodgers, and Jeff Okudah. In the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Vikings selected Donovan Jackson to be the projected starting left guard.
How Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's tenure with the Vikings should be viewed
Three years of work from Adofo-Mensah proves that he is worth the investment as general manager. He has been able to bring in talent like Murphy, Darnold, Addison, and McCarthy to give the Vikings a bright future.
The blemish on the resume so far has been the lack of playoff success. Minnesota has gone 34-17 in the three years of Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell, but has failed to produce a single win in the postseason.
That doesn't mean the last three years were not a success, but teams are often judged by what they can do in the playoffs. Adofo-Mensah can't control what happens on the field, but his off-the-field decisions have set the team up for success.
2025 is the most crucial season in the Adofo-Mensah era, as the team unloaded $300 million in free agency to build a powerhouse roster around young McCarthy. If the Vikings miss the mark on this season without a playoff win, the chatter around Minnesota could be the loudest it has been since 2021.