Vikings GM Will Soon Have 1 Simple Test
The stakes will be cosmological, and Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will soon have one simple test as the team’s head boss.
Whether this draft, next year’s, or in 2025, Adofo-Mensah must “get it right” with his selection at quarterback — the man who will take over as Kirk Cousins’ eventual successor.
Vikings GM Will Soon Have 1 Simple Test
Cousins is under contract through the end of 2023, and barring something really funky, he will quarterback the Vikings in 2023. But after that, for now, is a mystery. In the next four weeks, Adofo-Mensah could add more years to Cousins’ deal via extension, let the contract play out, or trade the man with a no-trade clause.
The Vikings are starved for someone — anyone — to get this rookie quarterback decision right because Adofo-Mensah’s predecessor, Rick Spielman, assuredly did not, at least not inside the NFL Draft. Spielman did a fabulous job keeping Minnesota relevant with a hodgepodge of quarterbacks from 2006 to the end of his reign in 2021, but he utterly struck out on drafting franchise quarterbacks.
On Spielman’s watch, the Vikings drafted these men at quarterback:
- Tyler Thigpen (R7, 2007)
- John D. Booty (R5, 2008)
- Christian Ponder (R1, 2011)
- Teddy Bridgewater (R1, 2014)
- Nate Stanley (R7, 2020)
- Kellen Mond (R3, 2021)
Does that list look good to you?
On the other hand, Spielman employed these quarterbacks to start at least one game for the Vikings while he patrolled the front office for 16 seasons:
- Brad Johnson (2006)
- Tarvaris Jackson (2006-2010)
- Brooks Bollinger (2006-2007)
- Kelly Holcomb (2007)
- Gus Frerotte (2008)
- Brett Favre (2009-2010)
- Joe Webb (2010-2013)
- Christan Ponder (2011-2014)
- Donovan McNabb (2011)
- Josh Freeman (2013)
- Matt Cassel (2013-2014)
- Teddy Bridgewater (2014-2017)
- Shaun Hill (2015-2016)
- Sam Bradford (2016-2017)
- Case Keenum (2017)
- Sean Mannion (2018-2021)
- Kirk Cousins (2018-now)
And besides one year of Favre and five good ones recently from Cousins, that list is meh. Quarterback is obviously the game’s most crucial position — back in 2006 when Spielman took over and now with Spielman gone — so there is no “yeah but” regarding Spielman’s generalized failure with quarterbacks, especially drafting young ones.
This topic — getting it right on the next guy — wasn’t a big deal in 2021 or 2022. But a new element has arisen for Cousins and the Vikings. And that is age. Cousins will be 35 this summer, and that’s a point when some quarterbacks begin to tail off. Not everyone is Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. Nobody really is, in fact.
Therefore, it is appropriate to start thinking about life after Cousins — even for his biggest fans and supporters — because the time is now. If Adofo-Mensah wants to “have it both ways,” extract the 4,000 passing yards and 30+ TDs from Cousins while grooming a successor, he can do it now. The young executive can draft the rookie quarterback this April or next April if his goal is to emulate the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017 or Green Bay Packers 12 years before that.
Adofo-Mensah has to get the rookie-QB thing right, unlike Spielman. Otherwise, the franchise would take a step back for 3-4 years, and Kevin O’Connell’s employment would be at risk with the wrong pick.
He’ll basically be asked to find a Daunte Culpepper whose knee doesn’t shatter.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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