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The 2025 NFL Draft is less than two and a half weeks away. Although they only have four picks, this is a critical draft for the Minnesota Vikings and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. His draft record has been suspect through three years, despite the team reaching the playoffs twice.
What are some of the biggest questions surrounding the Vikings as they enter this year's draft? Is anyone feeling pressured to succeed? And when will the team actually make their first selection? Here are three questions the Vikings face entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
This is the main question surrounding the team after they used lots of draft capital to move up and select J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner in last year's first round. They only have two picks in the first 100 selections. Although they addressed several needs in free agency, the Vikings could use depth behind some of those players, as many of them are older and coming off injuries.
Will they trade down late in the first round? Or will the Vikings trade out of the first round entirely, allowing a quarterback-needy team to move up to get someone like Jackson Dart (or Shedeur Sanders)?
The Vikings traded for Jordan Mason last month, giving themselves a strong 1-2 punch between him and Aaron Jones. But Jones is 30, and availability has always been an issue with him. He made every start in 2024, but Jones exited several games down the stretch with nagging ailments. And although the Vikings still employ Ty Chandler, they've seemed to lose trust in him.
This is a deep running back class, and the Vikings could look to take advantage of it. Even if the rookie running back didn't play much in 2025, he could be in line to play more if the team were to move on from Jones in 2026.
Adofo-Mensah still hasn't received a contract extension, even though he was part of the team that hired Kevin O'Connell. Although he says the contract doesn't cross his mind much, Adofo-Mensah has to feel some pressure to have a draft that the Wilfs deem worthy of an extension.
But if there is pressure, how does that affect Adofo-Mensah? Does that make him feel the need to stay at pick 24, taking the best player available even if a trade down makes sense? Or does he trade down even if a player of value and need is available at 24?
It feels like it'd be out of character for him to approach the draft this way, but pressure makes people do weird things. A good draft could set Adofo-Mensah up for an extension soon. A bad draft could leave him waiting for an extension that never comes.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: What questions do the Vikings need to answer before the NFL Draft?
Continue reading...
What are some of the biggest questions surrounding the Vikings as they enter this year's draft? Is anyone feeling pressured to succeed? And when will the team actually make their first selection? Here are three questions the Vikings face entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
Will They Trade Down?
This is the main question surrounding the team after they used lots of draft capital to move up and select J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner in last year's first round. They only have two picks in the first 100 selections. Although they addressed several needs in free agency, the Vikings could use depth behind some of those players, as many of them are older and coming off injuries.
Will they trade down late in the first round? Or will the Vikings trade out of the first round entirely, allowing a quarterback-needy team to move up to get someone like Jackson Dart (or Shedeur Sanders)?
Do They Dip Into A Deep Running Back Class?
The Vikings traded for Jordan Mason last month, giving themselves a strong 1-2 punch between him and Aaron Jones. But Jones is 30, and availability has always been an issue with him. He made every start in 2024, but Jones exited several games down the stretch with nagging ailments. And although the Vikings still employ Ty Chandler, they've seemed to lose trust in him.
This is a deep running back class, and the Vikings could look to take advantage of it. Even if the rookie running back didn't play much in 2025, he could be in line to play more if the team were to move on from Jones in 2026.
How Does Kwesi Approach the Draft With His Contract Situation Unresolved?
Adofo-Mensah still hasn't received a contract extension, even though he was part of the team that hired Kevin O'Connell. Although he says the contract doesn't cross his mind much, Adofo-Mensah has to feel some pressure to have a draft that the Wilfs deem worthy of an extension.
But if there is pressure, how does that affect Adofo-Mensah? Does that make him feel the need to stay at pick 24, taking the best player available even if a trade down makes sense? Or does he trade down even if a player of value and need is available at 24?
It feels like it'd be out of character for him to approach the draft this way, but pressure makes people do weird things. A good draft could set Adofo-Mensah up for an extension soon. A bad draft could leave him waiting for an extension that never comes.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: What questions do the Vikings need to answer before the NFL Draft?
Continue reading...
