Vikings Add 3 More Candidates to GM Interview List

The Minnesota Vikings began interviews for their open general manager post on Monday, followed by a request to interview three more men on Tuesday.

Minnesota’s search now features nine names, including several assistant GMs from playoff-caliber front offices.

For now, Rob Brzezinski holds the interim title, but that could change before too long.

Minnesota’s Front Office Search Gets Crowded

The Vikings’ search has become more expansive.

Agnew, Burckardt, Smith Enter GM Mix for Vikings

The search is growing. NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero tweeted, “The Vikings requested interviews with Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew, Broncos assistant GM Reed Burckhardt and Dolphins assistant GM Kyle Smith for their general manager job, sources say. Minnesota’s initial round of virtual interviews is underway and the list has now expanded.”

A to Z Sports‘ Tyler Forness added, “It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Burckhardt is on the list. The Vikings would have seriously considered Broncos general manager George Paton for the position after being in Minnesota for 14 years, but he signed an extension. His No. 2 is an obvious choice to interview, not to mention spending 13 years with the Vikings himself.”

Who’s Agnew?

Agnew was actually 1st-Round draft pick as a player in 1990 — a defensive tackle taken by the New England Patriots before they morphed into a dynasty.

Here’s Agnew’s recent employment history:

He’s had a front-row seat to the Lions’ turnaround, going from a bottom-dweller and laughingstock to one of the league’s premier rosters and teams in the last half-decade.

How about Burckhardt?

As mentioned by Forness, Burckhardt is no stranger to the Vikings, serving in various capacities from 2009 to 2022, including these positions:

• Operations Intern
• Personnel Department Assistant
• BLESTO Scout
• Area Scout
• Pro Scout
• Assistant Director of Pro Scouting
• Director of Pro Scouting

He followed George Paton to Denver, taking part in the recent transformation when Sean Payton took over three years ago. Given his background, the man should know how to draft, which the Vikings need.

SI.com‘s Zack Kelberman on Burckhardt, “Burckhardt, a Minnesota native who spent 13 seasons working in the Vikings’ personnel department, is one of multiple candidates for the job. The Vikings also requested interviews with Detroit Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew and Miami Dolphins assistant GM Kyle Smith. Burckhardt’s candidacy is closely linked to George Paton, who served as the Vikings’ assistant GM from 2007 to 2020 before taking over as Broncos GM in 2021.”

“Paton brought Burckhardt to Denver the following year as director of player personnel, and the latter steadily rose through the ranks. Promoted to assistant general manager in 2025, he now oversees both pro personnel and college scouting.”

And Smith …

The Vikings onboarded Smith as an undrafted free-agent wide receiver in 2006, sticking around for a few months before continuing his brief NFL journey. He’s the current assistant general manager in Miami, a job he just obtained this offseason.

Smith crossed paths with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell in Washington before O’Connell took the offensive coordinator job with the Los Angeles Rams, which later propelled him to the Vikings.

A to Z Sports‘ Kyle Crabbs on Smith: “If Minnesota ends up sniping Kyle Smith just months into his tenure with the Miami Dolphins, the only thing to do will be to laugh. It’d be a cruel twist for Sullivan to lose his right hand man, especially after the glimpses we got of Smith in the Dolphins’ draft room appeared to show a strong rapport with Sullivan.”

“Smith also impressed during draft weekend for how he handled the press availabilities after Miami’s selections. He’s impressive. And a general manager job feels probable in his future. It shouldn’t be too much to ask from the football gods to request that it doesn’t happen in 2026, though.”

The Full List of Combatants

To level set, here’s the full list of known Vikings general manager candidates:

• Chad Alexander (Chargers Assistant GM)
• Rob Brzezinski (Vikings Interim GM)
• Ray Agnew (Lions Assistant GM)
• Reed Burckhardt (Broncos Assistant GM)
• RJ Gillen (49ers Assistant GM)
• Terrance Gray (Bills Assistant GM)
• John McKay (Rams Assistant GM)
• Kyle Smith (Dolphins Assistant GM)
• Nolan Teasley (Seahawks Assistant GM)
• Dave Ziegler (Titans Assistant GM)

At the current pace, Minnesota should have a decision announced within a week.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker