Kwesi’s Reputation as a Drafter Is Changing for the Better
Josh Frey
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Over his first year and a half as general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has come under plenty of scrutiny for his drafting.
In particular, some of the moves made in the 2022 Draft were initially questioned, and the play throughout the season only deepened them.
However, recent weeks have have raised Kwesi’s reputation as a drafter with the performances of his draft picks. Let’s take a look at the path towards this improved rapport for the Vikings GM.
RG Ed Ingram’s Improvements in 2023
Ed Ingram’s rookie season was a bit of a mess at right guard. He started all 17 games for the Vikings, which is more than can be said of anyone else in the class, but it was more because of necessity. Ingram owned PFF’s fifth-lowest grade in pass-protection among offensive linemen with at least 50% of snaps played. He also gave up more pressures than any other player in the league.
While things haven’t completely turned around for Ingram yet, there are certainly signs of life. After being credited with three sacks allowed through Minnesota’s first three games, the right guard has only allowed one in the past four games. This stretch included games against the Kansas City and San Francisco defensive fronts, two of the more talented groups in the NFL.
Ingram also hasn’t been penalized over the past four games after having his number called for penalties thrice in the first three weeks. If this trend continues, the Vikings right guard is well on his way towards becoming a very serviceable starting guard.
CB Akayleb Evans Becoming a Proven Starter
The Vikings had a secondary chock-full of veterans throughout the 2022 season, thus offering few opportunities for rookie fourth-round pick Akayleb Evans to get on the field. However, he was able to start twice in relief of Cameron Dantzler before multiple concussions ended his season.
This injury and limited playing time left a bit of a cloud of doubt around how he would hold up as a full-time starter when all of Dantzler, Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley, and Chandon Sullivan left the team.
Instead, Evans has passed the tests he’s faced this season with flying colors. The second-year cornerback has started each game in 2023, and he has put together 36 tackles, 3 passes defended, and a pair of forced fumbles. He has thrived in Brian Flores’ defense and has proven to be well-worth a fourth-round flyer.
CB Andrew Booth Working into the Defense
Andrew Booth’s rookie season never really got off the ground after he was selected in the second round of the 2022 Draft. He played in just six games and made only one start for Minnesota before a meniscus tear ended his year.
2023 began in a similar fashion with the CB getting no defensive snaps through the first four weeks. However, Booth has hit his stride in recent games. He still isn’t a starting CB in the Vikings defense, but he has at least made defensive appearances in the last three games, including double-digit snap counts in the past two wins.
His most impressive performance came in Week 6 against the Bears where Booth played 26 defensive snaps and had a key pass breakup to force a Bears punt. In his three games with the defense, Booth has earned a coverage great of 61.4. Still not great, but it is respectable enough for him to get continued work in the secondary.
Is Booth living up to his original second-round draft status? No, not yet, but there is absolutely reason for hope from the past few weeks. If nothing else, he has proven to be a solid rotational piece in the secondary, which is a valuable role for a young defense.
WR Jordan Addison’s Stardom
The jury is still out on Kwesi’s 2022 first-round pick Lewis Cine, and a few healthy scratches in recent weeks hasn’t helped build confidence in the safety.
However, there is no denying that the Vikings absolutely nailed their 2023 first-round pick in Jordan Addison. The rookie wide receiver has been a star for the Vikings, and that was on full display in Week 7 when he caught 7 passes for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Addison is now second in the league in TD receptions and has answered the call as WR1 while Justin Jefferson recovers from his hamstring injury. Perhaps the Vikings missed on last year’s first-rounder (though we still shouldn’t close the book on Cine), but Kwesi bounced back in a big way this spring.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.