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Vikings GM Admits One Big Offseason Mistake
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- Vikings GM Admits One Big Offseason Mistake
Kirby Lee
The Minnesota Vikings made plenty of mistakes during the 2025 offseason, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah acknowledged one specifically this week, citing his team's assumption that Daniel Jones would probably re-sign with the club.
Adofo-Mensah's comment is a rare front-office tell that sheds light on the Vikings ' quarterback conversation heading into 2026.
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The franchise's top decision-maker will hopefully learn from his past gaffes as the current offseason heats up quickly.
Vikings' Quarterback 2025 QB Plan Gets Some Clarity
The Vikings thought Jones would return in 2025.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones drops back in the pocket during first-quarter action, with Sep. 21, 2025, marking the matchup at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Jones scans the field as pressure forms, operating the offense early against Tennessee in a regular-season road environment. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.
Adofo-Mensah on Jones' Departure
Jones chose the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 free agency over the Vikings, the team that had just employed him for a couple of months. With the Colts, Jones believed he had a more achievable path to start, and he was right.
Asked about Jones' free-agent choice last year, Adofo-Mensah admitted some degree of fault on Tuesday.
"I don't want to say overconfidence, but I do think him being here was something that we kind of considered and thought would impact his decision. But ultimately, there are free agents, and to your point, learning lessons," Adofo-Mensah replied .
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"I think, execution-wise, you have to treat it as such. No matter what the conversation is or relationships are, free agents are free for a reason, and they're allowed to vet all their options. Ultimately, we could've executed better around that."
In short, the Vikings thought they had a better chance of re-signing Jones than what turned out to be realistic. Jones considered the 2024 Vikings just a pit stop.
Adofo-Mensah added, "You're trying to make sure that you don't lock yourselves into what you did and thinking that it's always right. I always go back to the process and what we thought at the time."
"It's easier to go and be revisionist and results-based, but going to really think through what we had at the time, I still understand why we did what we did. The results maybe didn't play out the way we wanted them to, but ultimately, I think that at the end of the day, we could've executed better in certain places."
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Jones' Production in Indianapolis
Before tearing his Achilles tendon late in the 2025 season, Jones had performed wonderfully, for the most part. His team started 8-2, and Jones was an MVP candidate in September and October. Soon after, Jones and the Colts cooled off, but generally speaking, he put together a commendable season as a starter.
Scaled to 17 games, his stats would've looked like this if not for the Achilles tear:
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4,055 Passing Yards
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31 Touchdowns
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10 Interceptions
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68.0% Completion Rate
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Ranked 7th in EPA+CPOE
The Colts later flamed out entirely, signed Philip Rivers after a five-year layoff, and missed the postseason.
Still, the Vikings could have put Jones to work in light of J.J. McCarthy's injuries .
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A Huge List of 2025 Blunders
Sadly, letting Jones escape via free agency wasn't Adofo-Mensah's only blunder. Here's a list of examples:
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Trading for Adam Thielen in a deal centered around a 4th-Round draft pick
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Trading Harrison Phillips to the New York Jets for late-round draft capital
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Trading Mekhi Blackmon to the Indianapolis for late-round draft capital
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Letting Sam Darnold walk without franchise-tagging him
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Spending significant cash on players like Javon Hargrave and Aaron Jones , who could be released in the 2026 offseason
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Not paying safety Camryn Bynum , knowing Harrison Smith would retire soon
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Releasing 6th-Round draft pick Kobe King , a linebacker, five months after drafting him
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Spending a 3rd-Round pick on Tai Felton , who hardly played on offense
Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon chats with Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah along the sideline during joint practices, with Aug. 16, 2023, capturing the exchange in Eagan, Minnesota. The moment reflects front-office dialogue as both teams compared evaluations ahead of the upcoming NFL season. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY NETWORK.
It was not an offseason of dreams for Adofo-Mensah, and his Jones admission on Tuesday felt like the tip of the iceberg.
Getting the QB Decision Right in 2026
Now, how can Adofo-Mensah make up for it? Well, this offseason, he must do better.
He doesn't have a Jones or Darnold to re-sign this go-round, but he must find a competent alternative to the aforementioned McCarthy, who has missed 70% of all games in two years and ranked dead last in the NFL per all credible efficiency numbers.
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He might trade for Kyler Murray . He might trade for Mac Jones . He could sign Malik Willis . He could even dabble in the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes again.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones lines up during NFC wild card action, with Jan. 13, 2025, marking the playoff contest at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Jones stands poised behind center as Minnesota faces the Rams, navigating a high-pressure postseason setting on the road. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
The difference this year, though, is that he and head coach Kevin O'Connell will be on the hot seat in 2026. pressured to win a playoff game that has eluded the franchise since 2019.
He can't fix the Jones miscalculation, but he can empower McCarthy to succeed or find someone who can.
