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Vikings: Pete Bercich breaks down Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's 4 years as GM
Sunday night on FOX 9 Sports Now, Pete Bercich of the Vikings Audio Network joined Jim Rich to talk about the firing of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after four years as general manager. Where do the Vikings go from here, and what will the quarterback room look like?
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings on Friday fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as general manager after four seasons.
Vikings fire Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
What we know:
The decision itself to move on from Adofo-Mensah may not have been a big surprise, but the timing of it is. The Vikings had just signed him to an extension last May, eight months ago. Adofo-Mensah also spent the last week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., a showcase for some of the top prospects in April’s NFL Draft.
So why did the Wilf ownership group move on? It likely came down to four years of inconsistent scouting and evaluation in the NFL Draft, and most likely a disconnect with the quarterback room.
Here’s a look at Adofo-Mensah’s four draft classes:
2022 NFL Draft
- Lewis Cine
- Andrew Booth
- Ed Ingram
- Brian Asamoah
- Akayleb Evans
- Esezi Otomewo
- Ty Chandler
- Vederian Lowe
- Jalen Nailor
- Nick Muse
There are only two players on the roster from the Vikings’ 2022 class: Ty Chandler, and Jalen Nailor. Chandler played in just three games this season due to injury. Nailor had 29 catches for 44 yards and four touchdowns this past season, and is poised to be the No. 3 receiver.
The Vikings could’ve had Kyle Hamilton, one of the top safeties in the NFL, at No. 12 overall. But they moved down in the first round, and took Lewis Cine. He played in just 10 games with the Vikings after suffering a gruesome leg injury.
2023 NFL Draft
- Jordan Addison
- Mehki Blackmon
- Jay Ward
- Jaquelin Roy
- Jaren Hall
- DeWayne McBride
Jordan Addison is the only player from the 2023 draft class to make any significant contributions. He’s made 41 starts and has 175 catches for 2,396 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was also suspended for the first three games of the 2025 season, and has had three incidents involving law enforcement as 2026 marks the final year of his rookie contract.
2024 NFL Draft
- J.J. McCarthy
- Dallas Turner
- Khyree Jackson
- Walter Rouse
- Will Reichard
- Michael Jurgens
- Levi Drake Rodriguez
The sample size is small, but the 2024 draft was Adofo-Mensah’s best with the Vikings. He moved up to the No. 10 spot to get J.J. McCarthy, and got back into the first round to get Dallas Turner, considered one of the top edge rushers at the time. He led the Vikings with eight sacks this season, and has 11 in 10 career starts.
2025 NFL Draft
- Donovan Jackson
- Tai Felton
- Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
- Kobe King
- Gavin Bartholomew
Donovan Jackson was the only draft pick to see meaningful time as a rookie, and he missed four games after having wrist surgery.
The jury is still out on McCarthy, which is largely the crux of the issue for Adofo-Mensah’s dismissal. Between an ankle injury, concussion and fracture in his throwing hand, McCarthy missed seven starts. He had 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The Vikings QB dilemma
Dig deeper:
The Vikings had Sam Darnold in purple for one season, and he helped lead them to 14 wins and a playoff berth in 2025. He left in free agency, and is now playing for a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Vikings could’ve moved up to get Drake May, but the price would’ve been hefty. Instead, he wound up with the New England Patriots, and is now facing Darnold in the Super Bowl.
It was unlikely the Vikings were ever seriously interested in bringing Darnold back. They were locked in on McCarthy being the future of the franchise. The problem? There was no back-up plan. They didn’t do enough to keep Daniel Jones, who had a career year in Indianapolis before tearing his Achilles. Sam Howell didn’t pan out, and they panicked to bring in Carson Wentz, then nearly got him killed behind a makeshift offensive line.
McCarthy is likely your 2026 Vikings’ starter. But whoever the new front office head is has the task of bringing in a veteran back-up to compete with McCarty, and play competent football if he has to step in.