Former Colts GM Ryan Grigson's redemption tour continues with Vikings

INDIANAPOLIS — The Vikings are the next stop in the redemption tour of new senior football adviser Ryan Grigson. The former Colts general manager is now helping guide Kwesi Adofo-Mensah through his transition as a first-year GM.

"A special guy," Adofo-Mensah said at the NFL scouting combine. "He is somebody that I connected with in Cleveland. When you talk about somebody — perception versus reality. When they first hired him, I was like anybody else, and I'd maybe heard some other things."

Grigson spent five years leading the Colts front office. His firing in 2017 was met with approval by former players like punter Pat McAfee, who cited "unwarranted arrogance," and receiver Reggie Wayne, who said it was "about time." While working for the Seahawks and Browns the past five years, Grigson has said he has learned better ways to communicate with co-workers.

Adofo-Mensah saw it firsthand in Cleveland, where they worked together the past two seasons before reuniting in Minnesota. Adofo-Mensah said he holds weekly meetings on Thursdays to discuss "life and the process."

"And he is one of the most introspective people I've ever met," Adofo-Mensah said. "Really homes in on what happened to him and ways to help me in the future."

"Some of the transition hasn't been as bad because he prepared me for that," he added. "In addition, he's a talented evaluator. I want the most people around me that are great in different skillsets. My job is to combine them all into one decision."

Adofo-Mensah was asked whether Grigson is second in command in the Vikings front office.

"I don't look at it that way," Adofo-Mensah said. "I came from a business structure in my former career that was very flat. We just got as many talented people in the room as possible. Same thing we did in Cleveland. That's how I view it here. He's extremely senior. He has my ear at any given moment, and he uses it. He's a very passionate person. If he's got an opinion on a player, he's going to let you know it."

The Vikings offense under coach Kevin O'Connell won't be an exact replica of the system that just helped win a Super Bowl for the Rams. During his podium session in Indianapolis, O'Connell pointed to fullback C.J. Ham and a roster that was already set up to deploy bigger personnel groupings whether through multiple backs or multiple tight ends. O'Connell is coming from a Rams system that used three receivers more than any NFL team.

"I hope to be more multiple, just based on the fact that we have the personnel to do that — from the tight ends, to C.J.," O'Connell said. "The different variations to how you can attack people in the run game just forces them to have to defend a lot more.

"There will be some things that will look new," he added. "There will be some things that will carry over based on comfort levels for the players, because that's important, too."

Exactly one year after tight end Kyle Rudolph was released by the Vikings, the former Pro Bowler said goodbye to the Giants on Wednesday. Rudolph, 32, had signed a two-year deal with the Giants last year. His release frees $5 million for New York after he caught 26 passes for 257 yards and one touchdown in 13 starts. On Twitter, Rudolph wrote he's "looking forward to what's next" ahead of his 12th NFL season.

"Giants fans thanks for taking me and my family in this past year!" Rudolph wrote. "Certainly not the year any of us expected, but a year we will never forget. We're appreciative of the Mara and Tisch families for giving us the opportunity to be a Giant. Thanks to everyone in the building who took in and helped this old guy who needed to relearn everything about a new organization. Finally my teammates, in my 11 years in the league I'm not sure I've been around a closer group of guys!"