Report: Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in Contract Talks After O'Connell Extension

Kevin O'Connell is sticking around in Minneapolis for the long haul and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah appears likely to stay with him.

After the Minnesota Vikings and O'Connell agreed to a multiyear extension on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported talks are underway on an extension for Adofo-Mensah.

"The plan is to keep the braintrust together," Pelissero wrote.

Other NFL teams reportedly showed interest in trading for O'Connell before the Vikings extended him, according to The Athletic's Mike Sando. Adofo-Mensah would likely also have plenty of interest from other teams if he were to hit the open market.

O'Connell and Adofo-Mensah were both hired by the Vikings ahead of the 2022 season. They have since led the Vikings to a 34-17 regular-season record with three playoff appearances in as many seasons.

After missing out on the 2023 postseason and watching Kirk Cousins depart in free agency, the Vikings drafted projected starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy only to lose him to a season-ending knee injury in August.

The Vikings turned to Sam Darnold, who had most recently served as a backup for the San Francisco 49ers after struggling as QB1 with both the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, ahead of the 2024 season.

O'Connell then led both Darnold and the Vikings to a bounce-back season that saw the team clinch a playoff spot ahead of Week 15.

Darnold has given some credit to O'Connell for his comeback by telling reporters in November that the "detail" in the Vikings' coaching made "the quarterback position a little bit easier" (h/t Mark Craig of the Minnesota Star Tribune.)

After O'Connell received a new contract, Adofo-Mensah's toughest decision now will be whether or not to re-sign Darnold or turn the offense over to McCarthy.

In either case, Minnesota clearly has solid building blocks as it looks to remain one of the top contenders in the NFC.