Souhan: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and staff deserve credit for Vikings undefeated start

We know that, in the NFL, drafting well is difficult. Even the best talent evaluators miss sometimes, because no one can predictably predict how a 22-year-old football player will develop.

Now consider veteran free agency. You’re an NFL GM, and you’re trying to improve your roster by signing players that their former team didn’t want to pay, and that other teams aren’t willing to outbid you for.

In the draft, you’re taking the best player available when it’s your turn to pick. In veteran free agency, you are by definition overpaying an older player, or trying to refurbish a lesser player.

Somehow, the Vikings’ scouting staff, headed by General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, has built a phenomenal defense and augmented a strong offense by relying on veteran free agency.

On offense, quarterback Sam Darnold, running back Aaron Jones and the tight end position — whether injured starter T.J. Hockenson (trade) or backups Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt (veteran free agents) — came from other teams.

On defense, nine of the 11 starters the Vikings list on their official depth chart were signed as free agents, including college free agent Ivan Pace, Jr (who is out for Sunday’s game in Green Bay). Add in Shaq Griffin, who starts in their commonly-used three-cornerback sets, and the number is really 10 of 12.

This year’s veteran free-agent class is particularly impressive, featuring Stephon Gilmore, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, Jerry Tillery, Griffin, Darnold and Jones.

The Vikings’ coaching staff has incorporated the new faces so rapidly that the Vikings have started 3-0, while dominating two excellent teams in the 49ers and Texans.

How can this work so well? “I think it’s the vision of those who make those decisions, who bring us in here,” said Tillery, who is with his third team in three seasons. “They have a vision of what they want to see on the field and they bring in the right people to execute it. It’s an honor to be a part of it.”

Greenard earned the NFC defensive player of the week award in his third game as a Viking. “I think there is a belief, and a support system around here, where you feel like they believe in you,” Greenard said. “They trust in you. They say, ‘Go do it, go execute it,’ and they give you many ways to execute it. That lets you be you and execute at a high level. So you’re not thinking and second-guessing, you just play ball like a vet.”

Griffin credited the fast-formed relationships between the veteran free agents and existing Vikings veterans. “We’re different with our veterans in here,” he said. “We actually have those conversations with each other. I’ve been around teams where you might have some type of knowledge that doesn’t get expressed to everybody in the group. I feel like the way we’ve all bought in, the way everybody came in with open arms, ready to help each other, that’s different. And these brotherhoods, these connections, happened naturally.”

The Vikings have finished first and second in the last two NFLPA player surveys on the best teams to play for, and head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have earned praise from Vikings players for their down-to-earth leadership.

“Flo’ does a good job of putting you in a position to do what you do best,” defensive end Jonathan Bullard said. “You come in, they figure out what you do best, they give you a role where you can make an impact.”

Darnold, with his fourth team, leads the NFL in touchdown passes through three weeks. Jones, who left the Packers, is third in the NFL in yards per carry among running backs with more than 30 rushes, at 5.4, up .8 yards per carry from last season.

Van Ginkel has three sacks. His career high for an entire season is six.

Greenard has four sacks. His career-best total was 12.5 last year, and his second-highest total was eight in 2021.

The Packers rely heavily on the draft. The Vikings have chosen, or been forced to choose, a more expensive and tricky route, one that’s working because of coaching and culture.