Vikings submit interview requests for 6 outside GM candidates: Sources

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings entered the next phase of their general manager search Wednesday. According to league sources, the team submitted interview requests for six external candidates, all of whom are assistant general managers for their respective teams: Terrance Gray of the Buffalo Bills, John McKay of the Los Angeles Rams, Nolan Teasley of the Seattle Seahawks, Chad Alexander of the Los Angeles Chargers, RJ Gillen of the San Francisco 49ers and Dave Ziegler of the Tennessee Titans.

Longtime Vikings executive and interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is also expected to factor into the mix.

Each of the candidates has a background in personnel. Gray and Alexander are longtime college scouts, while McKay, Teasley, Gillen and Ziegler have risen through the ranks in the pro scouting space.

Among the candidates, only Ziegler has been a general manager. The Las Vegas Raiders hired him in 2022, and he held the job for two seasons.

Many of the other candidates are younger, and, in the words of one league source, “the theme is that they are highly regarded across the league — kind of viewed as hidden talent within their respective teams.”

The Vikings are expected to meet with many of these candidates first via Zoom. Ownership will likely participate in these sessions alongside chief operating officer Andrew Miller, who spearheaded the previous general manager hiring of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

There is a good deal of internal support for Brzezinski, who has perhaps the deepest understanding of the dynamics in the Vikings building. There is also the possibility of the Vikings pairing Brzezinski with a first-time personnel hire.