NFL draft talk: The three most important things Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah told the media

Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is someone who values getting information. On Thursday, he was the one who gave some information to those starved for a realistic look at how draft night could unfold for the Vikings in two weeks.

While nothing definitive was said — and nothing definitive will be known until April 25, the first night of the draft — Adofo-Mensah gave us clues into the Vikings’ process and mindset.

The biggest takeaway shouldn’t be surprising: The Vikings are trying to create whatever advantages they can in a draft where they need a quarterback and could be vulnerable to other teams forcing them to overpay for one in a trade.

I talked about that on Friday’s Daily Delivery podcast.

In this space, let’s go a little deeper into the three most important things Adofo-Mensah said Thursday.

1. “There are multiple guys that we are in love with. But there’s also other guys that we are in love with … if we get them at a certain value.”

Translation: Adofo-Mensah either truly believes or is trying to create the impression that the Vikings could be happy with any number of quarterbacks in the draft.

There is a sliding scale, essentially, when it comes to what the Vikings are willing to give up for quarterbacks the Vikings flat-out love, but the relative value of someone lower on their board (but still in that “love” category) has to be considered if it helps them build a more complete roster.

2. “It’s always about walkaway prices. And walkaway prices, to me, are meaningful because it’s another action. Your only leverage in the negotiation is your willingness to do something else.”

Translation: The signal he is trying to send to potential trade partners is easy. Don’t gouge us. We have options. Perhaps that’s in response to reports that moving up to No. 3 for Drake Maye might cost MORE than three first-round picks or that a deal for J.J. McCarthy at No. 4 or 5 could require three first-round picks.

The Vikings are willing to pay a premium to move up for a quarterback, but they have a point at which they will just say no.

3. “The hardest part is if you get the guy right, and he’s your answer for 10 years, there’s no price you probably wouldn’t have paid looking back.”

Translation: While the Vikings will balance risk vs. reward, at the end of the day, the amount of draft capital needed to get a player is less important than identifying the right player. It sounds to me like the Vikings’ “walkaway price” might be pretty generous if they think they have found that quarterback.