Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Signing Comes Out of Left Field
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will search high and low for talent. Just ask Lucky Jackson, Jalen Redmond, and the plentiful hauls of UDFA talent.
To that end, consider the update that arrived courtesy of the team’s official social media. A new safety has been added: “The #Vikings have signed S Bubba Bolden.” Alec Lewis of The Athletic then offered some added insight: “The #Vikings have signed safety Bubba Bolden. Worked out with the team last week. He’s 25, played with the Birmingham Stallions. And, notably, has the same agent as Byron Murphy Jr.: Zeke Sandhu of Klutch Sports.”
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah & Bubba Bolden
To be sure, safety is a need — especially after Camryn Bynum’s departure — but Bolden isn’t being brought to town to be a starter. Rather, he’s a depth piece with upside.
The first thing to note is his size and youth. Bolden is an imposing 6’3″ and he weighs 204 pounds. Now partner that size with a 4.47 forty time, which is really good speed for a safety (as a point of reference, Justin Jefferson ran a 4.43, just a bit faster). Even better, Bolden is still only 24.
Keep in mind, as well, that Bolden was suspended by the NFL at the end of August in 2024.
Bolden first entered the NFL back in 2022 as an undrafted free agent. His first opportunity occurred with the Seattle Seahawks before then moving onto the Cleveland Browns. He has yet to play an NFL snap.
Going into the draft, there was some hype about his ability. Consider, for instance, the scouting report on the NFL’s website: “Athletic free safety with NFL traits and adequate pattern recognition but wildly inconsistent results relative to his potential. Bolden is fluid in space with a smooth pedal and loose hips. He has cover talent, but lacks on-ball production and will allow for yards after the catch due to mistakes with tackle angles. He played through a shoulder injury for much of last season, which may have had some impact on his run support, but the 2020 tape had issues in the same area.”
The same blurb then concludes, “He’s likely to test well and should get a shot to prove himself as a backup safety with special teams value, but the tackling inconsistencies will be hard to overcome.”
The final determination is that he should be a “Priority Free Agent.” There are certainly some reasons to have pause about Bolden in the scouting report, but also plenty of reason for intrigue. No coach can teach size and speed. Can he turn himself into a menace on special teams?
Currently, the safety spot is being led by Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson. Both are going to start in 2025, soaking up snaps for Brian Flores. One then thinks of Jay Ward, a young player with an opportunity to step into a larger role.
The great mystery surrounding the position revolves around Harrison Smith, the Vikings legend who has been in the NFL since getting picked in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Hitman can still be a strong player in the NFL even if his elite days are over. Does he want to come back for another season?
Seeing Smith depart would mean losing the leader of the secondary and more than 1,000 defensive snaps from 2024. So, too, did Bynum clear 1,000 snaps, so that would be a lot of missing plays.
Bubba Bolden is thus stepping into a safety position that offers both uncertainty and open room to make a name for himself.
Other recent news for the Vikings? There has been an addition along the o-line, the loss of a pass rusher, and Joshua Dobbs getting a new home.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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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 social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.