There are some rather interesting quotes from anonymous NFL executives, weighing in on the Vikings’ offseason, in a recent article from The Athletic’s Mike Sando (subscription required).
One thing that stood out to at least one exec was how many players the Vikings signed who are north of 30 years old and/or coming off of a significant injury. Minnesota’s top four free agent additions — Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Ryan Kelly, and Will Fries — combined to miss 43 of 68 games last season. Three of those players are between 30 and 32, with the 27-year-old Fries being an exception.
“It’s like the 2015 Colts all over again, signing older guys who have been hurt, who are on third or fourth contracts,” an executive told Sando. “You cannot build a team with old players, especially old players who have been cut because they were hurt.”
That Colts team signed Andre Johnson, Frank Gore, and Trent Cole, who were all between 32 and 34 years old. Ryan Grigson, the Vikings’ current senior VP of player personnel, was the Indianapolis GM at the time. The Colts would go 8-8 in each of the next two seasons, leading to Grigson being fired after a five-year tenure.
The Vikings are well aware that there’s some risk that comes with the age and injury history of their marquee additions this offseason. They’re betting on their medical staff being able to give those players a great chance to stay healthy in 2025 and beyond. Having a starting quarterback on a rookie contract also makes it easier to absorb some of the risk that comes with signing any big-money free agents (players without question marks of some sort don’t usually hit the market).
And for what it’s worth, in addition to Fries, they acquired several other 20-somethings in Isaiah Rodgers, Jordan Mason, Jeff Okudah, and Rondale Moore this offseason.
The second notable Vikings topic in The Athletic’s piece (which also covers the other 15 NFC teams) has to do with GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the franchise’s leadership. Sando wrote that Minnesota’s offseason “caught execs’ attention at a time when general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has an unresolved contract,” and that “some are questioning who is making the decisions for Minnesota.”
“There is no more fascinating team than Minnesota because they have 13- and 14-win seasons over the past three years but no playoff win to show for it and only one division title,” a different anonymous executive said. “The head coach seems like a difference maker, a multiplier. If Kwesi does not get a new deal, would they just promote Grigson? It’s fascinating.”
Sando acknowledged that Vikings owner Mark Wilf recently said the team has had “very, very positive” contract talks with Adofo-Mensah, and that Wilf also said the team’s decision-making tree isn’t going to change. Nonetheless, he added this line to the article, speculating on the Vikings’ power dynamics: “But until a new deal is in place, people will wonder.”
Lastly, Sando wrote that some execs suggested the Vikings’ conversations with Aaron Rodgers “reflected uncertainty regarding J.J. McCarthy’s readiness to lead the team,” despite Kevin O’Connell saying the exact opposite.
Interesting stuff. It’s certainly fair to have some skepticism over the Vikings’ offseason and question why Adofo-Mensah doesn’t have a new contract yet, but it doesn’t feel like too much stock should be put into quotes from anonymous rival executives, either.
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