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Dane Mizutani: Vikings wanted a ‘competitive rebuild’ and they’re right on track

dane mizutani, pioneer press
·4 min read

The use of two words has more or less defined the brief tenure of Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to this point.

He coined the phrase “competitive rebuild” shortly after being hired about 18 months ago. He explained it as living for today and living for tomorrow with hopes of giving the Vikings as many kicks at the can as possible. He vowed to carefully navigate those diverging timelines in order to keep the franchise relevant in the present while also keeping an eye toward the future.

As a result, the Vikings have neither pushed their chips to the center of the table, nor torn the thing down to the studs.

They aren’t atop the list of odds to win the Super Bowl. They also aren’t atop the list of odds to take uber-talented USC quarterback Caleb Williams with No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Where does that leave the Vikings, with the Sept. 10 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers about a week away?

Exactly where they want to be.

Asked if he still believed a “competitive rebuild” was the best way forward, Adofo-Mensah referenced an exchange he had with head coach Kevin O’Connell last winter before the Vikings hosted the New York Giants in a playoff game.

As they looked around U.S. Bank Stadium before kickoff, the energy of the nearly 70,000 fans in attendance solidified the vision they had already started to implement.

“We want to be great every year and give ourselves a chance,” Adofo-Mensah said. “How do we shape shift while still winning? Ultimately that’s a little riskier than tearing everything down and being bad for a while then coming back up. We know that.”

The pathway to success in the NFL nowadays usually hinges on finding a franchise quarterback in the draft. That’s why tanking has become such a common trend leaguewide.

“That’s the way other teams may have chosen,” Adofo-Mensah said. “That’s not the way we’re trying to do it.”

It’s hard to argue with the process so far. After finishing 13-4 last season, the Vikings should be contenders to win the NFC North once again this season. They are going to be competitive in their pursuit of a Super Bowl while also continuing to rebuild different parts of the roster on the fly.

This offseason was a perfect example of that.

Not only has Adofo-Mensah managed to slowly turn the page to the next chapter, moving on from some of the players he inherited from former general manager Rick Spielman, he has managed to keep the Vikings contenders in the process.

As difficult as it was for the Vikings to part ways with receiver Adam Thielen, linebacker Eric Kendricks and running back Dalvin Cook after the 2022 season, it was a necessary evil given the constraints of the salary cap. The fact that the Vikings followed that up by giving pass rusher Danielle Hunter a big raise, then signing tight end T.J. Hockenson to a historic contract extension showed they are still invested in competing at a high level this season.

It also feels like only a matter of time before the Vikings make superstar receiver Justin Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback in the history of the NFL. There reportedly has been progress over the past couple of weeks with the potential of something getting done before the start of this season.

As for quarterback Kirk Cousins, he doesn’t have anything guaranteed beyond this season, with the Vikings content to let him play out the final year of his contract as a way to keep their books clean.

If Cousins balls out, he could earn a new contract that takes him up to retirement. If Cousins falls flat, he could be looking for a new team for the twilight of his career.

He essentially is the personification of the “competitive rebuild” that is happening in real time. As much as Cousins might give the Vikings the best chance to compete in the present, he might not give them the best chance to compete in the future.

That’s the tightrope Adofo-Mensah has been walking since taking over in Minnesota before last season. His ability to continue to perform that balancing act this season and beyond will determine how successful the Vikings can be.

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