Kwesi Adofo-Mensah labels Vikings' strategy as a 'competitive rebuild'

Under Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf's "super competitive" edict for the 2022 season, General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been toeing the line of crafting a playoff-caliber roster while also putting the new leadership's stamp on the franchise.

So far, that means not much of an overhaul despite attempts to gauge trade interest on high-profile starters. Quarterback Kirk Cousins' contract was extended for another year for salary cap space. Nose tackle Michael Pierce was the lone starter released, while the free-agent signings of linebacker Jordan Hicks and edge rusher Za'Darius Smith likely mean free-agent linebacker Anthony Barr is not coming back.

The direction was labeled a "competitive rebuild" by Adofo-Mensah, who fielded questions from local reporters Wednesday for the first time since the roster moves began.

"When people look at teams, they sometimes do it in a very binary way," Adofo-Mensah said. "They ask, 'Are you either all-in or tearing down and rebuilding?' And I don't really look at the world that way. The way we look at it is we're trying to navigate both worlds. We're trying to live in today and tomorrow, or the competitive rebuild, however you want to phrase it or market it, and so I think that's kind of how we've approached this offseason."

Extending Cousins, who received another $35 million guaranteed and a no-trade clause to be signed through 2023, was Adofo-Mensah's first major move. The Vikings also restructured receiver Adam Thielen's contract, which could tie him to the team through at least 2023, and converted bonuses for safety Harrison Smith and defensive end Danielle Hunter to create more spending power.

Adofo-Mensah was asked how much they considered shedding contracts to reset their financial and roster situation under a new regime.

"You have challenges from all sides: players have needs, we have needs," he said. "Trying to do the best you can for all parties involved. Sometimes that involves doing nothing, staying in the same place, coming back and let's be great together. We'll figure out things after that."

With head coach Kevin O'Connell expected to reshape a talented offense, the team believes there's a higher ceiling for the 33-year-old Cousins, whom Adofo-Mensah called a "really good player" who stabilizes a key position.

"We always talk about winning on the margins and things like that," Adofo-Mensah said. "You can win on the margins from a personnel basis by putting him in better situations from a scheme basis."

The Wilf ownership group approved expensive and impactful decisions like signing Smith, a former Packers star, to a three-year, $42 million contract on Tuesday, according to Adofo-Mensah.

"They're passionate, so I'll get a call from Mark, I'll get a call from Zygi, get an e-mail from Lenny," the GM said. "They're curious. This is their baby. They have questions, they want information, so I provide them with updates whenever I can."

Another expensive decision, a new contract for Hunter, is a work in progress.

Recent negotiations fell short of a long-term deal, but Adofo-Mensah said the Vikings are in a "great place" with Hunter and his representatives after his $18 million roster bonus became guaranteed last weekend. The team is still open to redoing Hunter's contract, which currently runs through 2023. The sides recently spoke over the phone as Hunter, who had surgery in November to repair a torn pectoral muscle, was traveling in Europe.

"Obviously that roster bonus was a call to come to the table and get in conversation," Adofo-Mensah said. "You can hear the urgency, the motivation in his voice to kind of resume where he is as one of the elite players in this league, and we're excited to have him back."

Hunter told KPRC, an NBC affiliate in Houston, on Wednesday that he's healthy again and "very excited" to be paired with Smith.

"I just know what he's going to bring to the table before he even gets out there," Hunter said. "It'll be a good combo between us and all the defensive linemen we have out there."

The roster also remains a work in progress. Latter waves of free agency and the NFL draft in late April are avenues to address holes like cornerback, where Patrick Peterson and Mackensie Alexander are free agents. The Vikings are thin in experience and players at the position. Four corners are currently under contract with a combined 24 starts, including Cameron Dantzler's 17.

Peterson, who had five deflections and an interception in 13 starts last year, has said he'd consider staying in Minnesota. He recently texted Adofo-Mensah, who added those "conversations are ongoing." Other available free-agent corners with ties to new Vikings coaches include Kyle Fuller, Bryce Callahan and Kevin King.

"If the value meets the player," Adofo-Mensah said, "we will strike. And if it doesn't, we won't."

Nearly the entire Vikings roster is new to this leadership, from Adofo-Mensah and front-office adviser Ryan Grigson to O'Connell's 25-member coaching staff. They're trying to learn as much as they can about players before they report April 11 for offseason workouts.

Then work begins in earnest to field a competitor. When asked how Adofo-Mensah planned to both rebuild and compete simultaneously, he invoked his friend Sam Hinkie, the former Rockets analytics head and 76ers general manager.

"When he inherited that 76ers team, people kind of thought that way – that eight seed in the Eastern Conference, kind of mired in a place of mediocrity," Adofo-Mensah said. "Football is a little different deal, it's more of a team sport. You don't need that one transcendent player to become great. But, to your point, it's just about adding great players, great pieces around the core that we have. And there's ways to do that."