About that empty GM seat...
PHOENIX – Vikings owner Mark Wilf said the team is currently 100% focused on the upcoming NFL draft and will not commence its general manager hiring process until after its conclusion April 25.
That aligns with Wilf’s initial comments on a search timeline following Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s firing on Jan. 30, when Wilf named Rob Brzezinski as acting general manager.
Wilf was clear, though, that the process will pick up quickly once that milepost in the league calendar has passed.
“We’re gonna be deliberate about it, but we know we need to get moving for the next college season and all that and get ready,” Wilf told Twin Cities media March 30 at the NFL’s annual league meeting. “Once the draft’s concluded, we’ll get going with interviews, and moving towards a relatively expeditious process to get it going.”
With the draft less than a month away, Wilf said he is in the early stages of planning what the hiring process will look like.
The process will be ownership-driven but not without input from football staff and other key members of the executive staff, such as Chief Operating Officer Andrew Miller.
A third-party representative is expected to help with organization and contacting potential candidates for maximum thoroughness, which Wilf said is something the organization has done before. He clarified the role did not necessarily mean a member of a search firm or a consultant.
The Vikings will continue to have the general manager report directly to ownership, opting not to switch up hierarchy among the staff, but Wilf said the GM is expected to have strong collaboration with coach Kevin O’Connell and the football operations team.
As for other qualities Wilf is looking for in the next Vikings GM, he said that’s part of what this early stage of planning is for establishing.
Wilf declined to say directly whether Brzezinski will be considered as a candidate for the full-time job, stating the conversation is “not yet there.”
Brzezinski has been with the Vikings since before the Wilf family — namely Mark and his brother, Zygi Wilf — took over ownership in 2005, a fact that Wilf noted in his response to whether Brzezinski would be a candidate.
Brzezinski, who also held a session with local media Monday, did not give a direct answer on whether he would like to be considered for the job, either.
“There’s been a couple of times through this process where I’ve kind of sat back and I’ve been like, ‘Wow, this is an awesome responsibility we have right now,’ ” Brzezinski said. He added that his “we” included Senior Manager of Football Administration Emily Badis and football administration consultant Matt Thomas.
“Honestly, just really focused on that,” Brzezinski said. “We wanna get this right. And I believe we’re gonna get it right. Looking into the future at all, it’s not what I’m focused on right now.”
The intense focus on the draft from both parties is understandable. The Vikings have their most picks (nine) since 2022, which was their first season with Adofo-Mensah as GM
Brzezinski, both on Monday and previously, has expressed pride in the team’s patience and deliberate methodology this free agency. The Vikings signed four new players, including quarterback Kyler Murray, as well as re-signed or reworked contracts for a handful of key veterans.
“I think we’re in certainly a much better position than we were just even a few weeks ago, not just from the cap standpoint, but positioned well to draft best available and make us not desperate at any one position to have a strong base to build on,” Wilf said. “Fortunately we have nine picks this year. That’s a good position to be in, and we wanna make sure we hit those.”
Then, the Vikings can take their swing on their next general manager.
Strib
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Zanary wrote:
I think the job is Brez' to lose, IF he wants it.
Could be....
I'd rather have Brez managing cap and negotiating . Bring in someone outside of the org for GM.
Fresh eyes and ears.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
Could be....
I'd rather have Brez managing cap and negotiating . Bring in someone outside of the org for GM.
Fresh eyes and ears.
I agree with that, in principle...but, KAM was from that basis, and obviously had considerable room for improvement.
Whoever gets the position, only Brez will really have done much for the coming season...so, any "newbie" after the draft gets almost a year to get things figured out before their first big swing.
KOC, JJM, Flores...make a good plan, or you'll be following Kwesi....
purplefaithful wrote:
PHOENIX – Vikings owner Mark Wilf said the team is currently 100% focused on the upcoming NFL draft and will not commence its general manager hiring process until after its conclusion April 25.That aligns with Wilf’s initial comments on a search timeline following Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s firing on Jan. 30, when Wilf named Rob Brzezinski as acting general manager.
Wilf was clear, though, that the process will pick up quickly once that milepost in the league calendar has passed.
“We’re gonna be deliberate about it, but we know we need to get moving for the next college season and all that and get ready,” Wilf told Twin Cities media March 30 at the NFL’s annual league meeting. “Once the draft’s concluded, we’ll get going with interviews, and moving towards a relatively expeditious process to get it going.”
With the draft less than a month away, Wilf said he is in the early stages of planning what the hiring process will look like.
The process will be ownership-driven but not without input from football staff and other key members of the executive staff, such as Chief Operating Officer Andrew Miller.
A third-party representative is expected to help with organization and contacting potential candidates for maximum thoroughness, which Wilf said is something the organization has done before. He clarified the role did not necessarily mean a member of a search firm or a consultant.
The Vikings will continue to have the general manager report directly to ownership, opting not to switch up hierarchy among the staff, but Wilf said the GM is expected to have strong collaboration with coach Kevin O’Connell and the football operations team.
As for other qualities Wilf is looking for in the next Vikings GM, he said that’s part of what this early stage of planning is for establishing.
Wilf declined to say directly whether Brzezinski will be considered as a candidate for the full-time job, stating the conversation is “not yet there.”
Brzezinski has been with the Vikings since before the Wilf family — namely Mark and his brother, Zygi Wilf — took over ownership in 2005, a fact that Wilf noted in his response to whether Brzezinski would be a candidate.
Brzezinski, who also held a session with local media Monday, did not give a direct answer on whether he would like to be considered for the job, either.
“There’s been a couple of times through this process where I’ve kind of sat back and I’ve been like, ‘Wow, this is an awesome responsibility we have right now,’ ” Brzezinski said. He added that his “we” included Senior Manager of Football Administration Emily Badis and football administration consultant Matt Thomas.
“Honestly, just really focused on that,” Brzezinski said. “We wanna get this right. And I believe we’re gonna get it right. Looking into the future at all, it’s not what I’m focused on right now.”
The intense focus on the draft from both parties is understandable. The Vikings have their most picks (nine) since 2022, which was their first season with Adofo-Mensah as GM
Brzezinski, both on Monday and previously, has expressed pride in the team’s patience and deliberate methodology this free agency. The Vikings signed four new players, including quarterback Kyler Murray, as well as re-signed or reworked contracts for a handful of key veterans.
“I think we’re in certainly a much better position than we were just even a few weeks ago, not just from the cap standpoint, but positioned well to draft best available and make us not desperate at any one position to have a strong base to build on,” Wilf said. “Fortunately we have nine picks this year. That’s a good position to be in, and we wanna make sure we hit those.”
Then, the Vikings can take their swing on their next general manager.
Strib
The process is dysfunctional to say the least, and the worst part is it seems like the Wilfs have little clue that it is. lol
Waterboy wrote:
The process is dysfunctional to say the least, and the worst part is it seems like the Wilfs have little clue that it is. lol
Totally disagree with you.
I believe with the assessed information that they gathered from all management, combined with an actual history of some huge misses (in personnel), they evaluated all the available information methodically, and came to the conclusion that the performance dysfunction could be traced to Kwesi.
I also believe that timing for the very important draft does not allow an opportunity to take their eye off the ball now and do a GM search. With Brez in place, there is enough of a placeholder to focus on and get through the draft.
It's a matter of addressing priorities and to do a thorough job on each. Wilf's have a history of learning through mistakes and surviving.
The timing and process might not be to your liking, but I promise you it is not dysfunctional.
No, the whole thing stinks.
It was either forced (by something we still dont know about) or it was poor decision making.
Either way, u dont go rudderless w/out a GM into FA and a draft with 10 picks waiting to get executed.
At least not deliberately and unless they are fools.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Here's hoping the next guy has more to offer than analytical expertise and has more NFL experience.
purplefaithful wrote:
No, the whole thing stinks.It was either forced (by something we still dont know about) or it was poor decision making.
Either way, u dont go rudderless w/out a GM into FA and a draft with 10 picks waiting to get executed.
At least not deliberately and unless they are fools.
Poor timing, or poor information, or whatever it was... it needed to be done. Tyoically I dont recommend doing something without a plan, but in this case I think they are better of having made the move than to have allowed KAM to handle this draft.
With all the speculation as to why, let me throw one more possible reason out there, maybe he tipped his hand as to what his draft plan was and it was a new level of crazy for Kwesi and he wouldn't come off it? Regardless of the reason, the team is better for him being let go, even without a fully functional rudder, its better than one that just wants to keep steering you into the rocks.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
purplefaithful wrote:
No, the whole thing stinks.It was either forced (by something we still dont know about) or it was poor decision making.
Either way, u dont go rudderless w/out a GM into FA and a draft with 10 picks waiting to get executed.
At least not deliberately and unless they are fools.
I find your lack of faith in the Triangle of Authority disturbing...
kmillard wrote:
I doubt there will be much of a search.
And we'll probably never know the extent of it.
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