Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is Running Through His Options as the Trade Deadline Nears
On November 5th, the NFL trade deadline will arrive. Minnesota will need to content itself with the players who are already in-house or who become available via free agency if no one else gets added.
In other words, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is currently working through his options. The GM is sitting atop of a 5-2 team that’s coming off of a loss to the Rams. The roster isn’t perfect but it has proven to be (mostly) difficult to overcome. Should Minnesota look to bring in more help?
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and The Trade Options
To be sure, there’s plenty of external chatter about how Minnesota should proceed.
The Athletic published a piece with brief snippets about how every team in the NFL should proceed. Consider the word from Alec Lewis, a Vikings writer who insisted that Minnesota should be buyers: “Talk to Vikings coaches and players, and they’ll all tell you seasons and locker room vibes like this one in Minnesota do not come around often. If that’s the case, why not add to the mix (or at least fortify the depth) if an opportunity presents itself?”
Lewis continues: “Three aspects feel important to mention if the Vikings are to acquire talent. First, Minnesota is not loaded with 2025 draft picks (they currently have just three selections), so it’d probably have to dip into the future reserves. Second, a team is a delicate chemistry, and part of the Vikings’ success this season can be attributed to the current concoction. So adding someone to that could affect the dynamic. Third, the Vikings are loaded with future cap space, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that they could jump-start forthcoming free agency by acquiring a big-name player and giving him a new contract.”
More important than the insights from Lewis are the words from the man himself, Mr. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The GM took some time to chat with KFAN’s Paul Allen earlier in the week. Sensibly enough, there was some chatter about the approach at the trade deadline. Adofo-Mensah’s thoughts on the process: “As I get names, I’ve got to fire them to my staff. And, hey, ‘Is this someone that we should consider? What would be the role, what would be the responsibility, compensation?’ All those things.”
Allen asked for clarity on how the process works, asking if GMs call and mention specific guys: “We talk to each other. Certain people are cagier than others, certain people will just have open, honest conversations. Look, it’s never that you want to move a certain player, but sometimes there are opportunities that work for both sides.”
Adofo-Mensah goes on to describe how he seeks to “be collaborative” and that he’s looking for “win-wins.” “We’ll see on the margins can we find places to upgrade,” Adofo-Mensah said.
Keep in mind that the process has officially kicked off in Minnesota since Cam Akers got added recently. Plus, Kevin O’Connell has spoken about the trade situation, noting that his general manager will be (currently is?) hard at work considering options.
“As we move forward here,” O’Connell explains, “Kwesi and his group will be evaluating any and all options that work from a standpoint of continuing to build this team.” The head coach then says that they’ll need to consider the potential to “solidify” depth or even pickup an “impact player.”
A recap.
Externally, there’s an expectation that Minnesota could/should be a buyer at the deadline. The strong record and super competitive division helps to confirm the plausibility of the theory. Plus, the team has already joined the fun, picking up Akers from the Texans.
Meanwhile, Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell have each taken turns answering questions about their approach as the deadline nears. The GM and HC each said that they’ll consider who becomes available and run the possibility through a process. So, no ironclad guarantees but certainly an openness to adding if the fit makes sense.
Since becoming the general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has pulled off twenty-four trades. Any chance that number jumps higher before it’s all said and done?
The Vikings currently have a 1st and two 5ths for the 2025 NFL Draft but are sitting on more picks in 2026. They have more than $10 million in open cap space.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.
