New NFL Rumors on Vikings' GM Search, Kevin O'Connell Potentially Getting More 'Authority'

Some people around the NFL feel Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell will ultimately gain more authority over his team following the dismissal of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.

Seifert reported Wednesday that some NFL sources feel O'Connell gaining more decision-making power going forward "is a likely outcome from a practical sense, even if it is not documented in contract language."

"After what was clearly a coach-centric approach to the draft last month, could the next general manager recoup that influence?" O'Connell asked.

O'Connell reported Tuesday the Vikings are considering nine external candidates in addition to a potential promotion of interim general manager Rob Brzezinski.

The Vikings were officially led by the draft by Brzezinski, who Seifert reported last month is interested in the full-time GM job.

Brzezinski said heading into the draft that he had "really good synergy" with O'Connell heading into the draft, and that there would be "alignment on both sides" between the front office and coaching staff.

Vikings director of college scouting Mike Sholiton, when speaking to Seifert after the draft, later described Brzezinski and Seifert as "combined leadership steering the ship."

Both Brzezinski and Seifert could now potentially impact where the team's general manager search goes next.

The Athletic's Alec Lewis reported last week that Brzezinski "has a great deal of support of support from all areas of the building," while O'Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have "had a major influence on personnel decisions."

O'Connell and chief operating officer Andrew Miller are two members of the advisory committee supporting the Vikings' third-party GM search, per Seifert.

How these candidates fit in alongside Brzezinski, O'Connell and Flores in the team's leadership structure could impact the likelihood the Vikings ultimately go outside of the organization to replace Adofo-Mensah.