Who is New Minnesota Vikings GM Nolan Teasley? All About The ‘Perfect Present-Day GM’
· Yahoo Sports
When the Minnesota Vikings made the decision to fire general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after four seasons, the easiest thing to do would have been to promote Rob Brzezinski. The team’s executive vice president of football operations has been with the Vikings since 1999, and he’s long been a trusted hand in Minnesota’s front office.
Valued enough to take over operations as the interim GM through a crucial free agency and NFL Draft period in which the Vikings shed nearly $100 million from their payroll while also potentially landing a new franchise QB, many felt like Brzezinski was excelling in his role. Yet, the Vikings knew they needed a permanent solution in search of their next GM.
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As many other owners do, the Wilfs hired a search firm to narrow down a long list of GM candidates. A thorough interview process that featured a second round of interviews involving five candidates pointed to one finalist, Seattle Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley.
The Vikings hired Teasley on Saturday, but who are they getting in their next GM? Let’s break down the team’s new top decision-maker.
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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIt’s always hard to tell exactly what type of hire a team makes, especially for a personnel evaluator like a GM, until the actual decisions start getting made. We don’t know how good a coach or player is until the games begin.
The same is true for a GM, but the Vikings have a big summer ahead, with many tough decisions to make as they trim the roster from 91 to 53. That could be a challenge for a new face who now has 90 days to determine which players deserve to stay, and which should go.
Yet, unlike Adofo-Mensah, who had an analytical background that started on Wall Street, Teasley is a football guy through and through. The former college running back has been working as a talent evaluator since 2014, when he first took a job as a pro scout with the Seahawks. He’s been climbing the ladder of success ever since.
As The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis‘ reporting uncovered, the Teasley hire has drawn high praise. One NFC exec said, “They speak highly of him around the Seahawks’ offices. He’s probably as qualified as any.” Another scout touted Teasley’s skill to match what he sees on film with what the data suggests: “He knows how to communicate with those guys and use that side to help what you see on tape.”
Teasley rose to assistant director of pro personnel in 2017, director of pro player personnel in 2018, and assistant GM in 2023. Now, the Washington native gets his first shot at being a team’s final roster decision-maker.
A member of the Seahawks’ staff called Teasley the “perfect present-day GM” who’s “taken the time to learn all the new stuff that one needs to know to succeed in the role — sports science, player development, health and wellness, analytics, and good, old-fashioned ball.”
He’ll also be working closely with coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores to help identify players who best fit their scheme. O’Connell has gotten to know Teasley through back-channels through the years, so they already have a workable bond. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, KOC was also “very involved” in Teasley’s hiring, and Seattle “really wanted to keep him.”
While his role won’t be as hands-on as it’s been in recent months, cap genius Brzezinski will continue working closely with Teasley too, helping negotiate contracts.
A Vikings team source indicated that O’Connell, Brzezinski, and Teasley now give the organization “three experts” in their respective fields. Together, the goal is to build the team the right way, leading to more sustained success than ever before.
Like Adofo-Mensah, it will take years to determine whether Teasley truly has the chops to execute the job at a high level, as seen with the likes of Eagles GM Howie Roseman, Seahawks GM John Schneider, or Rams GM Les Snead. But many NFL execs and scouts believe Teasley has long been a rising star who’s finally getting a chance to run the show. The Vikings are about to find out if they’re right.
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