Extension for Top Viking Is on the Way
The Minnesota Vikings have a week and a half of their offseason — that began way too soon — in the books, and the team hasn’t been idle.
Vikings Offseason: Another Big Extension Is on the Way
The franchise extended Kevin O’Connell’s contract on Tuesday, a “blockbuster” deal featuring multiple years and an undoubtedly large [but unknown] price tag.
NFL Network‘s Tom Peliserro tweeted, “The Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport. This was Minnesota’s priority and conversations started immediately after the season. Still only 39, O’Connell isn’t going anywhere.”
Pelissero let that bombshell sink in for one minute — one actual minute — and retweeted the same tweet with more clarity, “Conversations also are underway on an extension for Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Minnesota is 34-17 since they took over in 2022 and the plan is to keep the braintrust together.”
That means Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell will remain a package deal after taking over for Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer three years ago. Together, via the record mentioned by Pelissero, the Vikings have the NFL’s sixth-best record since the start of 2022.
O’Connell’s deal may have hit first because of bizarre trade rumors. Shortly before Minnesota’s Week 18 loss at the Detroit Lions, rumors leaked suggesting other franchises offered to trade for O’Connell, even if he wasn’t for sale.
Other outlets reported “tension” between the Vikings ownership and O’Connell. The alleged hullabaloo was resolved — if it existed in the first place — a full year before O’Connell’s contract expiration.
On Adofo-Mensah’s impending extension, most Vikings fans support the measure. Adofo-Mensah onboarded a woefully inadequate 2022 draft class during his first few months on the job but has since recovered by finding rookies like Jordan Addison, Ivan Pace Jr., Mekhi Blackmon, J.J. McCarthy, and Dallas Turner. The young executive also knocked 2024 free agency out of the park, signing Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, Aaron Jones, and Sam Darnold, among others.
Most want Adofo-Mensah to improve his draft habits — the memories of missing on Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth linger to this day — but also agree that the league’s sixth-best record on his watch is not accidental.
Adofo-Mensah said about extension chatter one week ago, “They expressed to me their appreciation for Kevin and I’s leadership, and they’re really supportive of us. It’s my third year, I always think back to the unbelievable opportunity that they gave me. I’ve always dreamt of being a general manager in an organization that’s trying to do the thing they haven’t done before, and I still have visions — I wake up in the morning and think of what that could be like.”
Minnesota has another momentous offseason afoot, needing to prepare the aforementioned McCarthy for the bright lights of the QB1 job while wisely spending about $60 million in sweet cap space. The Vikings also own the draft’s 24th overall pick.
“And so I’m always going to go back to that, the gratitude that I have for them and that I want to be the general manager going forward … I’m unbelievably grateful to be the general manager of the Vikings, and I want to continue to be. So, I’m going to leave this office and keep being the general manager of the Vikings and work hard to try to improve this team, and whatever comes to the future, will come,” Adofo-Mensah added about the upcoming extension.
Adofo-Mensah’s new deal could arrive at any minute.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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