The Minnesota Vikings are heading into a pivotal offseason with a significant change at the top of their front office. After parting ways with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the team has tapped longtime executive Rob Brzezinski to serve as interim GM through the 2026 NFL Draft.
Brzezinski, who’s been a mainstay in the organization’s front office for years, will help guide the Vikings through one of the most crucial periods of roster building: free agency, draft prep, and everything in between. But make no mistake - this is a temporary setup.
Once the draft concludes, Minnesota plans to begin its search for a permanent general manager.
And that search may already have a familiar name floating to the top.
According to multiple reports, including one from The Athletic, current Denver Broncos GM George Paton has emerged as a potential candidate to return to Minnesota - a place he knows very well. Paton, 55, spent more than a decade with the Vikings from 2007 to 2020, climbing the ranks from director of player personnel to assistant GM and vice president of player personnel. He was a key figure in the team’s scouting and roster development during that stretch, helping build several playoff-caliber rosters.
Since 2021, Paton has served as general manager in Denver, where he’s currently under contract through the 2026 season. That means any move back to Minnesota would require the Vikings to provide compensation to the Broncos. And given how highly regarded Paton is by both Denver’s ownership and head coach Sean Payton, it’s not exactly a slam dunk that he’d be available - or that Denver would be eager to let him walk.
Still, the timing is interesting. Paton is entering the final year of his six-year deal in Denver, and with the Vikings job potentially opening up post-draft, there’s a natural connection.
His deep ties to Minnesota’s front office, institutional knowledge of the organization, and experience leading a front office make him a logical fit. As The Athletic’s Mike Sando pointed out, Paton would be a “logical successor” in Minnesota.
Whether this turns into a full-circle reunion or simply a well-timed rumor remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the Vikings are at a crossroads. With a critical draft ahead and a long-term front office decision looming, Minnesota’s next move could shape the franchise’s direction for years to come.