I'm sure he'll keep the ship afloat for a short (important period) but he's not a personnel guy....Not in the old school way like a Ron Wolf or someone with that type of background...

I'd really like to see someone who lives by CHP (Can He Play) and just has that football player dna radar...Plus he (or she) is going to have to good people situation skills to work across the org. 

Vikings have been bitten by shortfalls in both capacities. Hope they get this right, cause its bigger situation then who to choose at #18. 

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After firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Vikings owners named longtime team executive Rob Brzezinski their interim general manager, meaning he’ll oversee much of the offseason, including the draft.

This raises two important questions:
Is Brzezinski the right person to oversee important personnel decisions?
Could Brzezinski win the general manager job by performing well this winter and spring?

Brzezinski’s title is vice president of football operations. His specialty is managing the salary cap, and he’s very good at that.

He’s well-liked and respected throughout the organization and by people outside the organization who know him. If anyone in the organization was going to be able to rule by building consensus, it would be Brzezinski.

He does not, however, come from a scouting background, and most NFL general managers build their expertise and their résumés by proving themselves in the realm of player evaluation.

There are two somewhat-recent situations among Minnesota professional teams that could provide insights into the challenges Brzezinski will face.

Former Vikings General Manager Jeff Diamond joined the team as a public relations assistant in the mid-’70s and rose methodically through the organization. He was not a scout by trade, but he learned how to run the team by working in different departments. Like Brzezinski, he became proficient in salary cap maneuvering.

In 1998, Diamond’s best team lost in the NFC championship game. He was named NFL executive of the year, and he left to become president of the Tennessee Titans, who in Diamond’s first season came within a yard of winning the Super Bowl.

“Rob came in the door with the Vikings in 1999, when I was on my way out,’’ Diamond said. ”I’ve known Rob for a long time. We have a good relationship. And I think he will be a candidate for the job.

“Back when I was a GM, there were more people who had my type of background, who came up through operations, through contract work, salary cap work, negotiations and running the organization as a whole, managing all of the departments.

“One thing that fans don’t necessarily get is how many different areas there are in an organization like the Vikings, how many things you have to manage. It’s not just player evaluation, although that is an important piece.’’

Diamond was known for friendly collaboration with his employees and players. “But someone has to break the tie, and that’s your job,” Diamond said. ”I believe that we almost always reached consensus on our biggest decisions.’’

Brzezinski’s profile is similar to Diamond’s.

There was another relatively recent example of a local team hiring someone who wasn’t a player or personnel evaluator. When Terry Ryan resigned as Twins general manager in 2007, the Twins were a model franchise, having fought off contraction in 2001, reached the ALCS in 2002 and reached the playoffs in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006 despite a relatively low payroll.

Assistant general manager Bill Smith replaced Ryan. Smith’s strengths were in facilities and business management. He was hired largely so the Twins could keep Ryan’s lieutenants in place.

Smith played a large role in designing Target Field and the Twins’ spring training facility in Fort Myers and was known for his obsessive work ethic.

The Twins fired Smith after the 2011 season. His résumé wasn’t bad — the Twins made the playoffs, or at least a Game 163, in 2008, 2009 and 2010. But the 2011 season exposed a severe lack of major league-ready young talent, especially in the pitching department, that would make the team uncompetitive for years.

If Brzezinski is asked only to shepherd the Vikings for a few months, he’s well-positioned to do good work. If he’s going to be a long-term general manager, he’ll have to quickly figure out which personnel experts he can trust and how much influence he should allow head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores to have.

STRIB

Robert Duvall. 1931-2026

On life and living:
"It ain’t dying I’m talking about, it’s living. I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you live."
This reflects his belief in cherishing life’s simple pleasures. 

On desire and satisfaction:
"If you want one thing too much it’s likely to be a disappointment. The healthy way is to learn to like the everyday things, like soft beds and buttermilk—and feisty gentlemen." 

On cheating and ambition:
"A man who wouldn’t cheat for a poke don’t want one bad enough."
A humorous yet revealing take on human motivation. 
( my favorite)

On relationships and timing:
"I figured out why you and me get along so well. You know more than you say and I say more than I know. That means we’re a perfect match, as long as we don’t hang around one another more than an hour at a stretch." 

On death and legacy:
"I take it back, Woodrow,” Augustus said. “I have no doubt you’ll miss me. You’ll probably die of boredom this winter and I’ll never get to Clara’s orchard."
A darkly funny farewell, underscoring his fear of loneliness and longing for peace. 

On the nature of men and women:
"It’s just that it’s fearsome for a man to have a woman start thinking right in front of him. It always leads to trouble."
 
On the absurdity of life:
"Well, Call, I guess they forgot us, like they forgot the Alamo,’ Augustus said. ‘Why wouldn’t they?’ Call asked. ‘We ain’t been around.’ ‘That ain’t the reason—the reason is we didn’t die.’” 

Rest in peace Gus.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47947892/sources-dolphins-release-8-pro-bowl-wr-tyreek-hill


Bradley Chubb also released. Not sure what the Vikings ultimately end up doing with Addison, but should we be interested in the Cheetah?

It's early, but with the exception of Styles, Downs and Love, this is the guy I want to see available at 18. Peter Woods, 6-3, 310, Clemson. Ideal size for a 3-down DT, plays the run and rushes the passer equally well. Versatile, played nose, 3-tech and even edge for the Tigers. Can beat a double team and his effort on every snap is 110%. Rumors of a 700 lb squat and a 4.86 forty. His issue is going to be arm length. 

Emmanuel McNiel-Warren (EMW) forced 11 fumbles during his time at Toledo. Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez had 13. Both are experts at the "peanut punch." And there's a chance we could draft both. EMW is considered a late 1st rounder, Rodriguez a middle 2nd rounder. 

Probably won't draft one, but the QB we choose to come in and compete with JJ McCarthy could be the most pivotal decision the Vikings will make this offseason. It's also possible JJ McCarthy's improvement will render this decision moot? Meanwhile, Derek Carr's brother throws out a little purple and gold chum...

California Athlete Tax for spending the week in California
https://twitter.com/i/status/2020905537013948557/

HOF #69 on what the Vikings should do about JJM...

"I think that's the problem, he's young and from a Vikings fan standpoint, you're looking at one of the best receiving corps in the league," continued Allen. "How long can we sustain (that)? We got a defense that finished the (season) red hot, but everybody's getting older. Every year they get older and those pieces start to fall off. So if you're waiting for J.J. to mature by year five, six, seven, you know, all of a sudden Justin Jefferson is 10, 12 years in. The whole dynamic changes. I'm not one on like fire selling and that kind of stuff but there's a lot of questions that were raised. If you can't stay healthy, you can't stay the starter."

As for who is the right answer to come in, Allen, like everybody else, has his opinions on the best fit for Minnesota. He said not bringing in Aaron Rodgers last year was the correct decision, questioning if another bridge year would have been the right answer for the "long-term success of J.J. (McCarthy)."

Another popular name that has been thrown out in recent weeks is former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. The current Atlanta QB is likely to be released by the Falcons this offseason just two years into his four-year, $180 million deal he signed in 2024. Cousins didn't shoot down the idea of a return during numerous interviews on Radio Row last week. However, for Allen, that's a no-go.

"No. In his prime we weren't winning championships with him," Allen said.

Allen did say he thinks Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa would be an interesting option. That's probably highly unlikely, though, considering Tua's past criticism of current Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores from their time together in Miami. Another name that seemed to interest Allen was current 49ers QB Mac Jones.

"I like what Mac (Jones) did when he stepped in for Brock Purdy," continued Allen. "I think he did a great job in San Francisco. So I like Mac Jones. I think he's talented."

lol,  not sure if you’ve seen this one

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The rate at which all franchise values are soaring is mind-boggling. Washington from the NFL was the first billion dollar franchise valuation in any U.S. league in 2004. Now every team in the top four leagues hits that mark.

Forbes noted that just six years ago, $5 billion was the benchmark for the highest-valued team in all the leagues. Now there are 51 teams valued at least that high, per Sportico.

• Minnesota franchise values lag compared to their peers. Each of the Vikings, Twins, Wild, Wolves and Minnesota United rank between No. 20 and No. 25 in their respective leagues in terms of franchise value. That means all are at least in the bottom half.
  

• But let’s not feel bad for them or their owners. The Wilf family bought the Vikings for $600 million in 2005. The Vikings are now worth 10 times that much ($6.28 billion). The Pohlad family bought the Twins for $44 million in 1984. They’re worth $1.7 billion now. The Wolves were just sold last year for $1.5 billion in a yearslong process. They’re worth almost three times as much now ($4.24 billion). The initial investment in Minnesota United for an expansion fee and stadium costs was $250 million roughly a decade ago. The Loons are worth $655 million now. Craig Leipold bought a majority stake in the Wild for $260 million in 2008. They’re worth $1.79 billion now.
  

• MLB’s economic disparity is on display in the valuations. The highest-valued team (Yankees at $8.39 billion) is more than six times as much as the lowest-valued team (Marlins at $1.3 billion). The ratio of biggest to smallest is roughly 2-to-1 in the NFL and 3-to-1 in the NBA, NHL and MLS.
  

• Every NFL team is in the top 46 and every NBA team is in the top 68 of the 154-team list. MLB and NHL values are the most comparable in terms of value. Teams in those two leagues occupy 47 consecutive spots on the list between 69 and 115. MLS franchises have the lowest valuations across the board, with Inter Miami ($1.45 billion) checking in at No. 116 as the highest-valued franchise in that league.