What to Expect from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Mitchel Massman
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The Vikings got their man. The new General Manager of the Minnesota Vikings, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, has signed a 4-year deal with the team. His signing is the first step to forging a new path forward for the franchise. His background is not the traditional football scouting type, but rather as a commodities trader on Wall Street. He has a total of nine years of experience in NFL front offices, mostly in research and development. Many fans are concerned about his analytical background, but that might be his greater strength.
What Is “Analytics?”
Many fans understand analytics through what is discussed on TV broadcasts. This is mostly discussing coaching decisions on 4th down or when to kick a field goal. However, analytics is simply the systematic gathering of data to make an informed decision. Coaching decisions are certainly driven by analytics, but this is not the focus of the front office.
The front office will use analytics to gather data on players. The data will include athletic profile, gameplay, and character, among other aspects. After which, a floor and ceiling of potential outcomes will be determined. The front office will couple the floor/ceiling potential with the overall character of the individual to provide the insight needed to make a decision.
How Kwesi Will Utilize his Background
With commodities trading, Kwesi was organizing data and using it to make a quality decision. His background in commodities trading will be an asset for leveraging cap resources in an efficient manner. Most importantly, Kwesi brings a willingness to learn and take advice from others. This collaboration is what the Wilfs stated they wanted.
After listening to Kwesi’s press conference, it appears that his approach to building a team will be in cooperation with the coaching staff. This is different than the one deployed by the previous GM, Rick Spielman. Rick Spielman once stated that he likes to draft players and let the coaches figure out how to use them. This approach led to drafting players with good athletic profiles but did not fit the overall scheme run by former head coach Mike Zimmer.
How Will Kwesi Make his First Big Decision?
Kwesi is looking for a coach who can be a partner and a leader of the organization. This means a coach who believes in collaboration and building a mutually respective environment. A collaborative effort between the front office will be a change of pace for the Vikings. Hopefully, this teamwork results in building a team with a purpose. Selecting players that fit a specific scheme is an important aspect of building a quality team. It is also important to keep the coaching staff happy, which was not the case at the end of the Spielman and Zimmer era. So, what does all of this mean?
Overall, it seems that Kwesi will utilize his analytics background and desire to work collaboratively with the coaching staff to build a team that fits a particular mold. The coach Kwesi hires will alter the future of the Vikings for the next decade. He must get this one right.
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