Inside The Vikings

Minnesota Vikings GM vows to 'really aggressively attack' free agency

Get ready for fireworks, Vikings fans.

Joe Nelson

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah / Image courtesy of the Minnesota Viking
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Only six teams have more projected cap space than the Minnesota Vikings heading into free agency. With an estimated $63.3 million, according to Over The Cap, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is gearing up to get aggressive.

"We know what we need to improve," Adofo-Mensah said Wednesday on KFAN-FM 100.3 when asked about his approach to free agency. "We’re going to be intentional about attacking the things we need to get better at. That’s not just gonna be one thing—we’re going to really aggressively attack it because we believe in turning potential weaknesses into strengths, and that’s how we’re approaching the offseason."

Minnesota’s weaknesses were glaring after brutal performances in the last two games of the season against the Lions and Rams. First and foremost, the interior of the offensive line needs work after Detroit and Los Angeles shoved Dalton Risner, Blake Brandel, and Garrett Bradbury into Sam Darnold’s pocket.

Darnold got sacked a combined 11 times while facing pressure 30+ times in both games.

Adofo-Mensah made it clear Tuesday in Indy that the defensive line’s also on the fix-it list.

"Ultimately, at the end of the day, we’re trying to be one of those last four teams standing, then one of the final two. To play January football, there’s a certain way you gotta play. You gotta control the ball on offense, and you gotta get after the passer—sometimes with just four," he said.

"I think these are things we all know. I’ve been on teams that had that, but when you’re building over two- or three-year horizons, you’re always juggling needs. This is probably one area where we need to get better, and we’ll hit it from different angles."

The Rams dominated Minnesota with a four-man rush, and the Philadelphia Eagles barely had to blitz on their way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, thanks to a ferocious defensive line featuring Milton Williams (he's a free agent), Jalen Carter, and Jordan Davis.

Teams can start negotiating with free agents on March 10, and contracts can be signed when the new league year kicks off on March 12.

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.

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