Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Traded Quantity for Quality in the 2024 NFL Draft
Josh Frey
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Throughout his tenure as the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made a reputation for himself as a trader.
Particularly throughout the course of draft weekends, Adofo-Mensah has not been afraid to make deal after deal to move up and down the draft board for the players he wants. That didn’t necessarily change in 2024, but this year, the Vikings GM decided to make a limited number of moves in order to acquire quality players at the top of the class.
Analyzing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Trades
Of course, Adofo-Mensah’s first move of the draft was to move up a single spot in order to secure QB J.J. McCarthy. The trade involved Minnesota sending Nos. 11, 129, and 157 to the New York Jets in exchange for Nos. 10 and 203.
The general manager then proceed to wait about one hour before making his next deal, sending Nos. 23 and 167 as well as a 2025 third-round pick and 2025 fourth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for No. 17. With that 17th overall pick, the Vikings landed arguably the best pass rusher in the entire class, Dallas Turner.
Those two moves would prove to be the lone trades that Adofo-Mensah made throughout the entire draft weekend, the fewest he has ever made during a single draft weekend.
During Adofo-Mensah’s first draft with the Vikings in 2022, he made a whopping six trades over the three days of the event. This, of course, included his first ever trade (which seems to be going down as his most infamous one) to move from No. 12 down to No. 32 and select safety Lewis Cine.
This trade is a good one to look at when discussing the change in philosophy over the first three years of his general managing stint. That trade down netted the Vikings Nos. 32 (Cine), 34 (later traded), and 66 (LB Brian Asamoah). Meanwhile, the Lions selected WR Jameson Williams (No. 12) as well as DE Josh Pascal (No. 46).
A day later, that No. 34 overall pick was moved to the Green Bay Packers, who selected WR Christian Watson, while the Vikings got No. 53 (again, later traded to move up for Andrew Booth) and No. 59 which turned into RG Ed Ingram. In short, these trades landed the Vikings a safety, cornerback, guard, and linebacker while their partners got a pair of receivers and an edge rusher.
Adofo-Mensah was rarely the aggressor during the 2022 draft, instead opting to pile up picks for later on in the draft. Just two of the six trades that the GM made during that weekend were to move up the board for a prospect, and just one came within the first 100 picks.
Then in 2023, Adofo-Mensah made three draft weekend trades, and two of them were to move down the board to acquire more draft capital. The lone trade to move up was for DT Jaquelin Roy at No. 141.
That philosophy shifted in 2024. The only two trades executed by the Vikings were to move up the board, and those two trades 1) came in the first round and 2) landed them players at arguably the most important positions in football: a quarterback and an edge rusher.
Instead of trying to snatch extra capital and bring in depth pieces who hopefully can one day turn into productive players, Adofo-Mensah identified quality players at premium positions and did what it took to go get them.
It’s an obvious shift in philosophy, and it may indicate that the “rebuild” portion of Minnesota’s “competitive rebuild” may be coming to an end.
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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.