Vikings Seal the Deal with Final Offseason Mega Move
Minnesota Vikings fans waited patiently for the final offseason domino to fall, and it has arrived.
The Vikings’ final offseason domino fell on Friday, as the team heads toward the summer.
The organization extended Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s contract on Friday, locking in the young executive for the long haul.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Extension Is Here
NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero tweeted Friday, “The Vikings have signed GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to a multiyear contract extension, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport. The deal was signed Thursday night. Minnesota is 34-17 with two playoff trips since Kevin O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah arrived. Now both are signed for years to come.”
“The Vikings extended Kevin O’Connell’s contract shortly after the season ended in January. They continued work on Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s and, after progress in recent weeks, got it done Thursday night.”
And that’s that. Minnesota’s leadership, onboarded over three years ago, did enough to merit extensions, and those came to fruition this offseason.
Vikings.com‘s Craig Peters mentioned about Adofo-Mensah: “Adofo-Mensah has helped the Vikings go 34-17 in three regular seasons as he and his department have guided the roster through significant personnel changes. His tenure includes the hiring of O’Connell, the 2024 NFL Coach of the Year, as well as contract extensions for franchise pillars Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, Christian Darrisaw and Andrew Van Ginkel.”
Braintrust Is Locked In
Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell took over early in 2022, and since, the Vikings have fired off the NFL’s sixth-best record. The franchise notably offloaded contracts of aging, expensive veterans like Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook, and Kirk Cousins, while achieving salary cap flexibility and drafting the quarterback of the future, J.J. McCarthy.
While Adofo-Mensah utterly swung and missed during his first draft in 2022, most fans applaud his roster construction, on the whole.
Now, they’ll get more of it — like three of four more years’ worth.
The Wilfs on Adofo-Mensah
Via Vikings.com, Minnesota’s owners, Mark and Zygi Wilf, said about Adofo-Mensah’s extension: “Kwesi’s leadership, vision and collaboration with our coaching staff has positioned the Minnesota Vikings for sustained success. His dedication and forward-thinking approach have been instrumental in shaping our roster and future, and we are confident that under the guidance of him and Kevin O’Connell, we will continue to compete at the highest level as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans.”
“We are extremely excited to continue this journey with Kwesi in this role and confident in the direction he and Kevin are leading our organization. Kwesi’s commitment to building a championship-caliber team and his ability to collaborate effectively and make bold, calculated decisions has positioned the Vikings for long-term success.”
Adofo-Mensah on the Extension
Adofo-Mensah personally said about the extension: “This organization means so much to me, and I’ve always believed in what we’re building here. From the ownership to the incredible staff, there’s a true commitment to creating a winning culture with the goal of competing year in and year out.”
“I’m thankful for the trust the Wilf family has placed in me, and I’m thrilled to continue leading our football operation alongside Coach O’Connell. Minnesota has welcomed my family with open arms, and we embrace the sacrifices that come with chasing the ultimate prize, knowing what it will mean to the best fan base and this great state.”
Until Friday, fans had wondered when Adofo-Mensah’s deal would materialize because O’Connell’s occurred right away in the offseason. Focused on a busy free agency and draft period, Adofo-Mensah and Minnesota evidently got down to brass tacks in May.
Adofo-Mensah added, “While we’ve made significant strides already, our focus will remain on building a team positioned as a perennial contender. This extension signifies we are on solid ground with the long-term vision we have set, and I’m incredibly excited to work with this group of talented people as we continue to push the boundaries of what this franchise can achieve.”
Super Bowl Window Opens
With the team’s two leaders signed for the next several years and equipped with McCarthy at QB1, the Vikings can truly embark on a Super Bowl quest. The roster has the red meat for it.
It will all boil down to O’Connell’s cultivation of McCarthy’s upside.
But the time is now. Adofo-Mensah’s extension proves that the ownership group trusts his judgment, probably because he totally flipped the depth chart amid his “competitive rebuild” philosophy while winning games and remaining a playoff contender.
The Vikings Absolutely Unloaded
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