Vikings’ Adof0-Mensah, O’Connell Face Huge Test For Vikings In Year 2

In many ways, the first year of the partnership between Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell represented a straight-forward assignment. The previous administration had left the team in a painful and non-functioning situation, so it was clear that the new leaders had to turn the environment in the locker room and on the practice field around.

Understanding what they had to do and actually accomplishing that goal are two different things. Yes, it was easy to know that the past situation needed to be fixed, but actually turning things around and delivering an outstanding working environment are two different things.

Sometimes, that particular aspect takes multiple seasons. Sometimes, turning that type of situation around is impossible.

That Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell did so in expert fashion means they both deserve an A-plus for the job they did in their first year.

The job gets infinitely more complex in Year 2.

Start with Adofo-Mensah, who has been dealing with those complications since the Vikings season ended with an ignominious Wild Card home loss to the mediocre New York Giants and their unproven quarterback Daniel Jones.

He has been working to put together an improved roster on the defensive side of the ball since that defeat. The Vikings brought in an aggressive defensive coordinator in Brian Flores to do away with the vanilla scheme employed by Ed Donatell.

“That’s where I think the real secret sauce for ‘Flo’ is: He makes it learnable,” O’Connell said at the NFL owners meetings earlier this week. “He can have carryover to different personnel groupings, positions, alignments. And the guys can have razor-sharp clarity on what they need to do.”

Adofo-Mensah has gone full bore into changing the make-up of the defensive roster even though the Vikings were nearly $20 million over the salary cap as the 2022 season ended. He knew the personnel was not even close to the level it needed to be at.

It wasn’t just
just
the showing last season that demonstrated multiple weaknesses. The Vikings have been awful on defense for three consecutive seasons, and that’s the indication the problems are not simply schematic. The players simply aren’t good enough.

To this point, the Vikings have said goodbye to Dalvin Tomlinson, Eric Kendricks and Patrick Peterson while welcoming Byron Murphy, Marcus Davenport and Dean Lowry. There are more moves to come.

The NFL Draft is less than one month away, and as that most important event approaches, the Vikings have five selections in the seven-round draft. In addition to having the 23rd pick in the first round, they have picks in the third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth rounds.

The belief here is that the Vikings may acquire additional picks through trades. Additional moves have to be made – particularly on defense – and they need more of the young and inexpensive players that the draft brings.

Adofo-Mensah is doing his job, but O’Connell won’t be tested until training camp begins in late July. His positive attitude combined with his confidence and sharp play-calling helped him succeed last year.

It is not going to be as simple in Year 2. The Vikings now believe in each other and the atmosphere has changed dramatically, but how does O’Connell steward this team going forward?

It may not be part of his nature, but O’Connell is going to have to demonstrate toughness and demand that his players take a critical self-view after every game. Despite the recent NFLPA survey that indicated the Vikings had the best working environment in the NFL, this is not a social club.

It’s about wins and losses and success in the postseason. The margin for error was high in 2022 but it will be much smaller in 2023. The Vikings need to be the best team in the NFC North once again, and must show more than they did last year.

That means winning multiple playoff games and advancing to the NFC Championship game, if not going further.

Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell were clearly on the right track in Year One. The assignment grows infinitely more difficult in Year 2.