Early May is supposed to be the start of some idle time in the NFL calendar. It’s the post-draft days with some minicamp action. There’s draft pick and scattered free agent signings. The Minnesota Vikings have picked this time to handle some serious football business. They are looking for a new general manager. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired late enough in the process that Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf decided it better to wait until after the draft to find a new general manager. They were criticized by many for the wait but I agreed with it then and agree with it still. Adofo-Mensah was fired on January 30. A proper search would’ve lasted a few weeks. A new hire would’ve probably happened after the Scouting Combine and on top of the start of free agency. A wait was made easier with Rob Brzezinski in the building. He’s been a big part of the Vikings team-building process for all of the 2000s. It was easy to tap him as interim GM. Despite the constant honking of pundits against the decision, the Vikings draft evaluation process was probably more coordinated than it’s been in years. Enough so, that Brzezinski is a strong candidate for the GM job moving forward. If that happens, I wouldn’t be upset with it but I’d prefer he return to his old job. He’s too important to the Vikings franchise to be on the annual chopping block. An unfortunate aspect of the NFL general manager job is always being a bad draft, or two, away from looking for a new job. I’d rather Brzezinski not be in that sort of position. He’s too important to the organization.
Three months ago, the Wilfs said that the new general manager search would start after the draft. The draft is in the past and the Vikings general manager search has started. Ownership said that it would be done in secret with the help of search firm TurnkeyZRG. I would’ve assisted for free. After Aofo-Mensah was fired, I made a GM Wish List.
Chad Alexander - Chargers Assistant GM
John McKay - Rams Assistant GM
Mike Bradway - Assistant GM
James Liifert - Texans Assistant GM
Ed Dodds - Colts Assistant GM
Terrance Gray - Bills Assistant GM
Ryan Cowden - Patriots VP of Player Personnel
Andy Weidl - Steelers Assistant GM
Reed Burkhardt - Broncos Assistant GM
Trent Kirchner - Seahawks VP of Player Personnel
Most of the above, and some others, have made the list of potential candidates put out by the Athletic’s Alec Lewis and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. For some reason, a few pundits and some fans have tossed out Broncos GM George Paton as a possibility. How someone can suggest a currently employed GM as a possibility is a mystery to me.
Three months removed from making that initial list of candidates, I’ve thinned it to the following:
Chad Alexander
James Liifert
Terrance Gray
Reed Burkhardt
Trent Kirchner
Again, I wouldn’t be against Rob Brzezinski getting the job but I’d prefer he didn’t. A negative to him even being a candidate is that it probably takes him out of the decision-making process. Of course, I’ve never met any of the candidates and only know them through their published history. So, it seems silly to even make a personal list of candidates let alone have a favorite. It’s what fans do. It’s definitely what this fan does. Chad Alexander has been my favorite from the start. James Liifert and Terrance Gray have since joined him as a trio of favorites.
This is supposed to be the idle time. These are supposed to be the days waiting for draft pick-signing news. Maybe a free agent addition, or two. Instead, the Vikings decision-makers have a gigantic decision in front of them. It’s a decision that will significantly impact on the present and future of the franchise. They must get it right.
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