Biggest Questions Facing the Vikings after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Termination

With a belated decision, the Minnesota Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday, January 30th, causing confusion with the timing and questions about the franchise’s immediate direction. What are the questions? Well, we have those for you.

Minnesota now faces a compressed offseason with big decisions piling up, from quarterback direction to who ultimately runs the roster.

Free agency is one month away, and the draft six weeks after that. Here’s what to ponder regarding the Vikings.

Key Questions the Vikings Face After Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Termination

The offseason has changed for the purple team.

1. Is J.J. McCarthy’s Off-Ramp Now on the Way?

Righteous or not, the Vikings now have a clean avenue to wind down the McCarthy era if they’re not overly inspired about his injury trajectory and performance. Think of this way: if Minnesota wants a quarterback like Kyler Murray or Mac Jones via trade, they can somewhat easily trade for him and sell the story as, “Well, McCarthy was Kwesi’s guy.” They’ll never expressly say that, but you get it — through implication.

Had Adofo-Mensah remained, Minnesota had a vested interest in enabling him to succeed. Now, they can straightforwardly opt for a different quarterback and claim (through their actions) the old general manager got the McCarthy pick wrong.

2. Who Will Take Over for Adofo-Mensah after the Draft?

Curiously, the Mark and Zygi Wilf won’t hire an Adofo-Mensah replacement until after the draft. It’s unclear why they’ll wait, perhaps to give Rob Brzezinski an extended, fair trial for the big job.

But then what?

The organziation could keep Brzezinski in place, interview someone with previous ties to the Vikings like George Paton, or consult an outsider like Ed Dodds from the Indianapolis Colts.

Still, the new general manager’s identity will remain a mystery for a few months.

3. Who Calls the Shots for Personnel?

When a single general manager is in the saddle, the buck stops with him or her — all final personnel calls. Outwardly, that’s no longer the case.

Maybe Kevin O’Connell will pick the offensive players, Brian Flores will be in charge of defensive personnel, and Brzezinski will manage the money. Until a new boss takes over, onlookers won’t have any idea who’s picking what and will merely hope everyone is on the same page for collaboration.

4. Will O’Connell Shoot for the Stars at QB?

The Vikings have already stated they’ll add another quarterback or two this offseason. That’s a given — the no-brainer to end all no-brainers this go-round.

Will O’Connell choose a journeyman insurance policy like Jimmy Garoppolo? An upside youngster via trade like Anthony Richardson? Kirk Cousins? Another crack at empowering a former high-round pick to succeed like Kyler Murray? Or sell everything imaginable for Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson if those men are available?

With Adofo-Mensah gone, O’Connell can basically do whatever he wants at quarterback. And he must get the decision right for his job security. The onus is all on him.

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote about the Vikings’ quarterback situation last month, “There is little question that the Vikings need a reliable veteran to buffer McCarthy. There was discussion about bringing back Sam Darnold last offseason, but he found a home and a bigger deal in Seattle. Minnesota also attempted to retain Daniel Jones, who opted for Indianapolis. When a trade for Sam Howell went sideways, it left the Vikes with Wentz and Brosmer.”

“The veteran free-agent market will be dotted with the likes of Marcus Mariota, Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo and Kenny Pickett. One potential name to watch: Kirk Cousins, the former Vikings QB who reworked his deal in Atlanta, making him a likely free agent this offseason.”

5. Why Did the Vikings Wait until 3.5 Weeks into the Offseason to Fire KAM?

This is the one that will confuse fans indefinitely.

Adofo-Mensah’s draft record alone warranted his termination on Black Monday (the day after Week 18). But the Wilfs held off.

Then, after the firing, they insisted that no single decision had pushed them over the edge. Five days prior, though, former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold reached the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. There’s just no way that didn’t serve as the final smoking gun.

Wide Left‘s Arif Hasan also noted last week, “The failure to re-sign Sam Darnold, who is about to make his Super Bowl debut with the Seattle Seahawks, appears in much of the reporting we see about the Vikings’ GM decision. More prominent, however, is the inability to re-sign Daniel Jones, who left for the Colts and produced an outstanding season before his injury.”

No matter, Adofo-Mensah’s termination occurred about 3.5 weeks late.