With Some Subtlety, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Peels Back Curtain on Key Vikings Competition
Start off with what didn’t happen: adding any corners or safeties in the 2025 NFL Draft. The suggestion is that there’s confidence in the in-house options.
In fact, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked about the precise reality in his post-draft presser. On a basic level, there’s a belief in the team’s ability to piece together a strong secondary from the players already under contract: “We are extremely confident in our group.” The fascinating detail is that Adofo-Mensah continues talking about why he’s confident, specifically naming players in the process. Did he tip his hand a bit?
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah & The Vikings’ CB Competition
Recently, the question about the Vikings’ corner talent — or, perhaps, lack thereof — got brought up on Vikings Territory.
“So, a decision in the eye of the beholder — is that enough for a Super Bowl-contending team?” Dustin Baker asks about the corners. “Minnesota has carefully built a roster this offseason to win a championship, so long as quarterback J.J. McCarthy is legitimate — a grand if. Murphy Jr. is trustworthy. No debates there. After Murphy Jr., however, the speculation thickens.”
Baker continues: “Vikings coaches have spoken glowingly about [Isaiah] Rodgers over the last two months, with Brian Flores particularly excited about the defender, even likening Rodgers to Zach Baun of the Philadelphia Eagles, a linebacker who busted into stardom last season.”
Therein lies a key, folks: Mr. Rodgers’ ability to be a strong CB2. If he can do so, then Minnesota is in a pretty good spot. The concern is that he’s a bit smaller but he has been generating optimism in the Twin Cities, so there needs to be a certain degree of trust that the GM, HC, and DC have this one right.
Did Kwesi Adofo-Mensah offer any thoughts beyond a simple vote of confidence in his guys that help to further clarify where things are going at corner? In a sense, the answer is yes.
While discussing the secondary, Adofo-Mensah name-dropped five corners: Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Jeff Okudah, Mehki Blackmon, and Dwight McGlothern. One may look at the statement as a subtle nod toward the leadership’s belief in who is currently leading the purple corners.
Now, before pushing things too far, consider what isn’t being said. By no means is the GM saying that the corner hierarchy is written in ink, pre-determined before the offseason takes place. Nor is Kwesi Adofo-Mensah saying that there definitively won’t be more additions or surprises along the way. If anything, the GM will lean toward acknowledging that the future is uncertain, prompting the executive to prepare various plans to be able to pivot if something bad occurs (such as an injury or someone underperforming in a major way).
Nevertheless, the point can likely be pressed a little bit: Adofo-Mensah naming those five options appears to be an indication that they’re being viewed as the top guys.
Absent are options such as free-agent pickups in Tavierre Thomas and Ambry Thomas (among others). Does this mean they’re without a chance to crack the corner spot, climbing the depth chart? By no means. Each will be given opportunity to show what they’re capable of doing. Maybe one surprises, proving capable of offering sturdy snaps as a CB3, CB4, or CB5.
And, of course, naming every corner would be odd and cumbersome in a presser. One still does wonder, however, about the names that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah highlighted.
When asked about his confidence in his corners, the GM began with Byron Murphy. The veteran is back on a new deal in Minnesota and is obviously viewed as the top corner. After him are four more names whom Adofo-Mensah uplifted as players capable of inspiring optimism in what the secondary will be capable of doing.
In the past, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has referred to roster building as being “eternal.” The main takeaway could be that Minnesota’s top five corners are good enough to keep the Vikings competitive but the team will be keeping its eyes peeled for upgrades if any become available.
Per Over the Cap, the Vikings have some cap space to sign more talent if there’s a desire to do so.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
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