Souhan: Ten things Vikings GM Adofo-Mensah must do before next season
Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium, Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah chatted with an old friend in the press box. Adofo-Mensah was wearing loafers with no socks.
This offseason, Adofo-Mensah will need to get fitted for some mukluks. He has messy work to do.
The Vikings won 13 games this year because new coach Kevin O'Connell and his staff maximized the clutch play of quarterback Kirk Cousins and the production of receiver Justin Jefferson.
Former General Manager Rick Spielman signed Cousins and somehow turned Stefon Diggs' trade demand into an upgrade at receiver, in Jefferson.
Spielman's staff also found Adam Thielen, drafted Brian O'Neill and Christian Darrisaw, and drafted and developed defensive stars Harrison Smith, Eric Kendricks and Danielle Hunter.
In Adofo-Mensah's first offseason, he produced just one starter in the draft, guard Ed Ingram, and just one impact free agent, Za'Darius Smith. He also made an impressive midseason trade for tight end T.J. Hockenson.
O'Connell isn't a finished product, and he might want to avoid calling more pass plays with Cousins on the receiving end, but he deserves credit for turning a struggling, aging team into a 13-game winner.
Now it's Adofo-Mensah's turn to prove himself.Here's what his to-do list looks like:
