Questionable QB planning, draft struggles, and free-agent regression made the Vikings’ 2025 spiral hard to avoid.
The Minnesota Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday, nearly four weeks after the season. His ouster didn't surprise many as much as the timing.
A sizable portion of the fan base never warmed to Adofo-Mensah. In his first draft, he traded down from pick No. 12 to pick No. 32 with the Detroit Lions, passing on Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton to accumulate picks instead. The Lions, meanwhile, selected Alabama receiver Jameson Williams.
Minnesota selected Georgia safety Lewis Cine, who played all of 10 defensive snaps in two seasons with the Vikings. Hamilton is a two-time First-Team All-Pro, and Williams' speed has added a dangerous dimension to Detroit's offense, terrorizing the Vikings twice a year.
The rest of the draft class didn't fare much better. Andrew Booth, Ed Ingram, and Brian Asamoah were all top 66 selections, but Ingram was the only regular contributor. But he was inconsistent, allowing 21 sacks in two-and-a-half years of starting at right guard.
Adofo-Mensah was never able to escape the draft criticism. In four seasons, none of his draft picks became Pro Bowlers. His best pick, Jordan Addison, has been plagued by off-field issues.
Minnesota was forced to fill roster holes through free agency because of their inconsistency in the draft. This approach worked well for a while, especially in 2024, when the Vikings brought in Sam Darnold, Aaron Jones, Jonathan Greenard, and Andrew Van Ginkel and received exceptional production from them.
The Vikings went 14-3 in 2024 but stumbled in their final two games. Minnesota signaled it was comfortable allowing Darnold to test free agency, only offering a short-term deal that couldn't match what Seattle offered him.
But the team failed to retain Daniel Jones, who had spent the final month-and-a-half of the 2024 season with the team. They offered him a deal similar to the one the Indianapolis Colts offered. But Jones signed with the Colts, believing he had a better chance of beating out Anthony Richardson for a starting job than J.J. McCarthy.
Although Minnesota was aggressive in free agency, it never secured a veteran quarterback who could serve as insurance in case McCarthy wasn't ready to handle the starting job in 2025. The Vikings entered training camp with McCarthy, Sam Howell, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, and journeyman backup Brett Rypien.
Howell struggled in camp and preseason and got traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings signed Carson Wentz two weeks before the regular season, but he was lost for the year by midseason with a shoulder injury.
So when McCarthy proved he was either unready to start or injured, Minnesota had no backup plan. Meanwhile, the Seahawks and Colts were cruising with Darnold and Jones at quarterback.
The Vikings finished the season 9-8, but not after a 4-8 start, which all but ended their playoff hopes. Their free-agent class never lived up to its billing, and McCarthy was underprepared for the job.
Adofo-Mensah was able to avoid full-on criticism of his drafts because of his savvy in free agency. When several of the veterans he signed failed to live up to their contracts in 2025, the team spiraled.
Now, Minnesota will have vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski serve as de facto GM through the draft. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Vikings will likely seek a candidate with a more traditional football background rather than Adofo-Mensah's analytical upbringing.
Friday's timing of the move was the only part of Adofo-Mensah's firing that caught fans off guard. But his tenure got off to a rough start, and he was never able to escape criticism about his draft record.
Now, Minnesota will look for a general manager who can translate its regular-season success over the past four years into postseason success.