All eyes are on the Minnesota Vikings right now to see what they do with their vacant general manager and head coach positions. There has been a lot of speculation as the team has conducted its first round of interviews, but a choice feels imminent with them moving on to the next phase of the process.
One thing is certain: Owner/President Mark Wilf is glowing with confidence that the right kind of change is coming for the Vikings.
“We’re having good progress, just completed our first round of interviews with all of the candidates for both the head coach and GM positions,” Wilf told team reporter Gabe Henderson. “We’re narrowing the candidates for both down now, and we’re going to be starting the next round of interviews this week. And we’re really excited about the candidates—a lot of depth, a lot of knowledge. I feel confident we’re going to have good leadership coming out of this process.”
As of right now, Kansas City Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles and Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are believed to be the top-two candidates to replace Rick Spielman as GM for the Vikings.
However, things are a bit more wide open when it comes to the candidate to replace Mike Zimmer as the next head coach. Part of it is being done on purpose so the incoming GM can have a say in the hiring process.
Some of the bigger names out there have been Raheem Morris, Todd Bowles and Dan Quinn. Even Jim Harbaugh’s name is being tossed around as a long-shot possibility, even though he hasn’t officially interviewed or been mentioned by the team like the others.
“We want strong communicators, teachers, collaborators, people that will set a good culture, good football minds and good people,” said Wilf. “Those are the kinds of characteristics we sort of tick through as we walk through the interviews. I’ve been super impressed, and everyone that has been a part of these interviews has been impressed with the candidates this far.”
