Even the people in charge of building the roster have their own negotiations to conduct.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, with Justin Jefferson, called the 2024 team “one of one” because of a bond between players stronger than anything he’d experienced. (Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Co-owner Mark Wilf told the Minnesota Star Tribune in December that Vikings ownership plans to talk to Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell about contract extensions after the season, adding, “We’re looking forward to their continued leadership of the franchise.” Both have contracts expiring after the 2025 season. O’Connell, whose work with Darnold made him a leading candidate for Coach of the Year honors, could have a particularly strong market if he were to leave the Vikings. Wilf’s December comments, though, echoed what he said in August about waiting on contract talks until the end of the season, and the owners could start discussions as soon as this week.
Vice president of player personnel Ryan Grigson talked with the Jets about their GM opening last week, while defensive coordinator Brian Flores and quarterback coach Josh McCown are candidates for the team’s head coaching job. Flores also has interview requests from the Jaguars and the Bears. The Seahawks reportedly requested to interview 28-year-old assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski, whom O’Connell views as a rising star, for their offensive coordinator opening.
Whether because of new jobs, departures or retirements, the Vikings’ complexion seems almost guaranteed to change. But the guiding principles they used in 2024, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said, aren’t likely to shift.
“We have a foundation that we’re building here, and we’ll see how the cards fall at the end of March,” said Phillips, one of the team’s captains. “[We] trust all those guys to bring in the right people. But we do have a core of people and they’re kind of the rudders that steer the ship, and obviously we have a captain at the helm with K.O. that is really guiding the ship. I have full confidence in that, and we’ve created an environment here where when you jump on ship, you kind of have to mold and form yourself to what we’re trying to accomplish. There’s not a lot of room for people that don’t believe in our standard.”
As of Tuesday, though, the Vikings’ feel-good 2024 season was history, assigned to the team’s 64-season ledger with 14 wins, but no banners or playoff victories.