Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski are approaching the 2026 NFL Draft in lockstep.

The leaders continue to build on a positive working relationship that's been in place since O'Connell took the helm in 2022. When former Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was relieved of his duties earlier this offseason, Brzezinski was tabbed by the Wilf Family Ownership Group to oversee the organization's personnel moves through the draft.

"He's been an awesome partner. It's just really, really good dialogue," Brzezinski said of O'Connell. "He's spent a lot of time with us on the personnel staff and as much as he can in our meetings, [and] when we get to next week and our final draft meetings, that's where we're really integrating with the coaches. But K.O.'s spent a lot of time with us, and he's just a really good, positive partner that communicates really well — and our goal has been in complete alignment organizationally with the coaching staff and the personnel staff."

Brzezinski and O'Connell, along with Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf, attended the NFL's Annual League Meeting in Arizona this week and spoke with media members Monday.

Brzezinski told Twin Cities beat reporters he "feels good" about where the Vikings stand a few weeks ahead of the draft.

"We still have a few weeks of meetings to finish up, and throughout this process, the answers to the tests are continuing to come in as pro days are happening and we have our scouts and coaches on the road," he explained. "We'll get together the next few weeks and get alignment with the coaching staff and the personnel staff, and we feel good about where everything is.

"I think we've talked before about, the key is just getting 'em stacked, and getting 'em stacked objectively," Brzezinski added. "We're obviously going to do everything we can to fill our needs when we're on the clock, but our goal is to get the board set objectively so we really see where the talent is and then let it fall to us."

Though Brzezinski's role this spring looks slightly different than in past years, Wilf has the utmost confidence in his experience and knowledge in the space.

"I think also, to create the collaboration in our room with coaches, with scouts, and develop a consensus, as well as managing the cap like he's always done, that combination has yielded good results so far," Wilf told Twin Cities media members. "I think we're in a much better position than we were, certainly, just even a few weeks ago. Not just from the cap standpoint, but we're positioned well to draft best available and [make sure we're] not desperate in any one position — to have a strong base to build on.

"We have nine picks this year, and that's a good position to be in, and we want to make sure we hit those," Wilf added.

Wilf also was asked about the process of hiring a new Vikings general manager.

He emphasized the current focus on the draft but also acknowledged there's a plan and philosophy in place.

"We're in the early stages of setting up a process to begin right after the draft and beginning a full GM search," Wilf said. "We'll have a small, tight group I'm sure, to lead, but it's going to be an ownership-driven process to select our GM — it's obviously important — with of course input from our football staff … Andrew Miller, our Chief Operating Officer, will be part of it, and we'll be laying the groundwork in terms of who we bring in third-party-wise to maybe help in that process, as well.

"We feel we have great scouting staff, great coaching staff, of course never resting on any laurels. We want to continue to strive to be the best," Wilf later added. "We want to be competitive every single year and have long-term success. So someone's got to fit within that. It's got to fit within what we have in our building right now, as well."

Asked whether Brzezinski is being considered, Wilf reiterated the draft has been full priority.

"We'll sit down with Rob, as we will with other candidates, to see where he wants to go or not go. That's all TBD," Wilf said. "But like I said, we've known Rob since the first day we were in ownership, so we go a long way back … the conversation just is not yet there. We're still focused fully on the draft."

Brzezinski shared similar sentiments during his media session, noting he's taking things one step at a time.

And regardless of what comes next, he doesn't take any of these opportunities for granted.

"There's been a couple of times during this process where I've kind of sat back and I've been like, 'Wow, this is an awesome responsibility that we have right now.' Not just with me and K.O., but our entire staff, our entire group," Brzezinski said. "And so honestly just really focused on that, because we want to get this right — and I believe we're going to get it right.

"Looking into the future … it's just not what I'm focused on right now," he continued. "I care about the Minnesota Vikings and whatever we can do through this draft and this process to make this team as good as it can possibly be for the future. That's what we're going to try to do."

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