Vikings To Use Search Firm For GM Hire; Rob Brzezinski Interested In Full-Time Gig
The Vikings have made it through free agency and the draft with a temporary front office setup in place. The search for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s full-time general manager replacement is now underway.
The team recently announced TurnkeyZRG has been hired to assist in the process. Using search firms is common in the NFL, and Minnesota will take that route as well. Over the course of multiple weeks, candidates will be interviewed before a hire is made. The announcement also states candidates will not be publicly named.
Few developments may emerge over the coming days regarding the outside options the Vikings explore as a result. In any case, the future of interim GM Rob Brzezinski will be worth watching closely. The longtime Minnesota executive has been mentioned as a candidate to land the general manager gig on a full-time basis, although his interest on that front has been a question mark until recently. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes Brzezinski has indeed thrown his hat into the ring with the Vikings search getting started.
Brzezinski took over once Adofo-Mensah’s four-year run came to an abrupt end in January. He oversaw free agency, a period during which a reduction in spending was sought out. Finances were also a key factor in the recent Jonathan Greenard trade, one which sent the Pro Bowl edge rusher to the Eagles. Brzezinski remained in place through the draft, as planned, and the Vikings will hope a new group of cost-controlled players helps bring about a return to the playoffs in 2026.
Front office personnel who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora expressed support for the Vikings handing the full-time GM title to Brzezinski. The veteran NFL staffer has been with the Vikings since 1999, holding multiple positions in the team’s front office since then. Brzezinski became Minnesota’s executive vice president of football operations in 2014, positioning him as a logical choice for interim GM duties over the early portions of the offseason.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert notes (video link) the Vikings should not be expected to maintain their existing front office structure in the event an outside hire is made. The potential for Brzezinski taking a president of football operations role to oversee a new GM was recently mentioned, and it will be interesting to see owners Zygi and Mark Wilf consider such a setup. Otherwise, a shake-up brought about by a new arrival or the continuation of the status quo though Brzezinski being handed the reins will be in store.
Russell Wilson Considering CBS Gig?
As things stand, Russell Wilson remains a free agent. He is nevertheless still interested in continuing his playing career, as shown by a recent visit with the Jets.
In the event Wilson does not land a new deal as a player, though, it appears he has a transition to broadcasting lined up. Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reports Wilson is “in deep discussions” to take on a television gig. He adds CBS Sports’ The NFL Today is Wilson’s expected landing spot.
Wilson has previously appeared on CBS broadcasts, including during the Giants’ bye week in 2025. A deal allowing him to join The NFL Today, CBS’ Sunday pregame program, would see Wilson replace Matt Ryan. Ryan recently departed his broadcasting role to take on the top front office position for the Falcons. Another high-profile former quarterback would take his place if the talks involving Wilson result in a deal being struck.
From 2012-21, Wilson served as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback. That span included two straight Super Bowl appearances (with one win) and underscored the height of his career. Since the blockbuster trade which sent the 10-time Pro Bowler to the Broncos, however, things have not gone according to plan. Wilson was in place for just two years in Denver, and his time atop the depth chart was over before Sean Payton‘s first year as head coach had ended.
Upon being released, Wilson took a one-year pact with the Steelers. The 37-yearold missed time early in the season before taking over from Justin Fields and remaining atop the depth chart through Pittsburgh’s wild-card round loss. The Giants inked Wilson to a one-year deal last spring, setting him up for a brief spell as New York’s QB1. The Giants have Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston in the fold as carryovers from 2025, and it has long been clear another change of scenery would be needed for Wilson to meet his goal of continuing to play.
In January, Wilson changed agents; he is now represented by David Mulugheta as a result. That move has not yielded a contract before or immediately after the draft, leaving him to no doubt give further consideration to a TV gig. Wilson’s plans for 2026 will be worth watching as the offseason continues to unfold.
2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
May 1 marked the deadline for teams to decide on fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth. Twenty-two options were exercised this year. Here is how each team with an option decision proceeded with 2023 first-round contracts:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): Exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): Exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM): Exercised
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM): Declined
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Tyree Wilson, Raiders ($14.48MM): Declined
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM): Exercised
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM): Exercised
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM): Exercised
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM): To be exercised
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM): Exercised
- LB Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM): Exercised
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM): Declined
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): Exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM): Declined
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): Exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM): Declined
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM): Exercised
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM): Exercised
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): Exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): Exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM): Declined
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): Exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM): Declined
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM): Declined
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM): Exercised
- LB Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM): Exercised
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($14.48MM): Declined
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Chiefs Add 20 UDFA Rookies
In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chiefs found themselves drafting in the top 10 for the first time since they selected Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech at No. 10 overall in 2017. They took advantage with their three selections in the first 40 picks, adding heavily to the defense before shifting focus to the other side of the ball on Day 3. After only ending up with seven rookie additions from the draft, Kansas City let loose with contract offers, adding these 20 undrafted free agent rookies:
- Vincent Anthony Jr., DE (Duke)
- Wesley Bissainthe, LB (Miami)
- Cole Brevard, DT (Texas)
- Jeff Caldwell, WR (Cincinnati)
- Jacob De Jesus, WR (California)
- Anthony Dunn, DE (Toledo)
- Omari Evans, WR (Washington)
- John Michael Gyllenborg, TE (Wyoming)
- Ethan Hurkett, DE (Iowa)
- Amari McNeill, DT (Colorado)
- Xavier Nwankpa, S (Iowa)
- Pete Nygra, C (Louisville)
- Jaydn Ott, RB (California)
- Damon Payne, DT (Michigan)
- D’Arco Perkins-McAllister, CB (Louisiana-Monroe)
- Bryce Phillips, CB (San Diego State)
- DeShon Singleton, S (Nebraska)
- EJ Smith, RB (Texas A&M)
- Josh Thompson, G (LSU)
- Zelmar Vedder, CB (Houston)
After adding a few on offense at the end of the draft, Kansas City continued to add some weapons in undrafted free agency. Ott showed a ton of potential as a sophomore two years ago, when he attended the same school De Jesus transferred to for 2025. He led the Golden Bears with 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground in 2023, but his production and efficiency hit a nosedive the next year. Despite starting 10 games, his production fell to 385 rushing yards and four touchdowns. After transferring to Norman, his production continued to freefall as his usage dwindled nearly down to nothing. There are questions about his toughness and ability to play through minor injuries, but the height of his production showed a dynamic, one-cut rusher with NFL potential.
Caldwell is raw and didn’t dominate at the same level after transferring from Lindenwood to Cincinnati, but a 6-foot-5 frame with a 4.31-second 40-yard dash put him on the map for the NFL with projections that he could have been a fifth- or sixth-rounder. The Chiefs get the developmental project post-draft, though, and could come away much better because of it. It’s probably not a great sign that Gyllenborg didn’t produce much in five years at Wyoming, but scouts see some extremely promising physical tools that boast plenty of potential to work in the league.
On the defensive front, Anthony comes to Kansas City after notching 12.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss in his last two years starting for the Blue Devils. He has a decent set of moves to disrupt the offenses he faces but will need to add weight and clean up his game to stick at the next level. Bissainthe’s level of play rose with each of his four years at Miami — three as a starter — as he developed his game all over the field. He hasn’t proven to be especially strong in any one area, but he’s a hard hitter who has shown a knack for improvement in the face of each challenge.
In the secondary, the Chiefs landed two promising safeties who had strong chances of getting drafted; Singleton was even projected to go in the fifth or sixth round. Showing up all over the stat sheet, Singleton could establish a role as a nickelback if the depth chart stacks up just right. Nwankpa had a really strong senior year with the Hawkeyes, but his future may be as a standout special teamer. At cornerback, Phillips was a player Kansas City coveted. In order to secure his signature, the Chiefs gave Phillips an undrafted free agent contract with $247,500 in guaranteed money, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Ravens Sign 19-Man UDFA Class
As the Ravens spent the early days of free agency under the impression that Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson were both coming to take up a significant portion of the team’s salary cap, they watched unrestricted free agents parade out of Baltimore without being able to add much more. As a result, the Ravens have plenty of room to bring in bodies, and they’ve announced the signing of these 19 undrafted free agents to go along with their 11 draft picks and make up a 30-man rookie class:
- Cortez Braham, WR (Memphis)
- Ethan Burke, OLB (Texas)
- Nick Dawkins, C (Penn State)
- Dominic DeLuca, LB (Penn State)
- Joe Fagnano, QB (UConn)
- Aaron Graves, DT (Iowa)
- Matthew McDoom, CB (Cincinnati)
- Dontae McMillan, RB (Eastern Michigan)
- Diego Pavia, QB (Vanderbilt) (story)
- Ty Pezza, TE (Brown)
- Diego Pounds, T (Mississippi)
- Jahquez Robinson, S (Auburn)
- Octavian Smith, WR (Maryland)
- Trevonte Sylvester, T (Louisville)
- Elijah Tau-Tolliver, RB (Michigan State)
- Silas Walters, S (Miami [OH])
- Lardarius Webb Jr., CB (Wake Forest)
- Reid Williford, LB (Charlotte)
- Dion Wilson Jr., DT (Syracuse)
Fagnano wasn’t expected to do much at UConn after transferring from Maine, but the 25-year-old ended up leading a strong Huskies offense by the end of his seven-year collegiate career. He made few mistakes, boasting a touchdown:interception ratio over his career of 93:18 and only throwing one pick compared to 28 touchdowns in his final year of school. Fagnano’s processing, decision-making, and accuracy all score high marks, but his arm strength and mobility leave a lot to be desired.
It was a bit surprising to see Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft come and go without Pounds coming off the board. The starting left tackle for most of the past two years at Ole Miss, Pounds was projected by some as a potential fourth-rounder. The North Carolina-transfer has all the makings of a strong blindside blocker of the future with reliable pass pro habits, but his run grading has room for improvement. He’s got a great frame for an NFL tackle but will need to make sure he’s putting good weight on that frame.
Burke is a Baltimore-native who ended up in Austin for high school and stayed there for college. With only 10.5 sacks in 17 starts over four years, he may not project as a future starter in his hometown, but with three blocked field goals in his last two years, he shows the potential to find a roster spot on special teams. He’s joined in his virtual homecoming by Webb, whose father played all nine years of his career with the Ravens. The senior Webb led the team in interceptions (5) and passes defensed (20) in 2011 and led the league in passes defensed (22) in 2013.
While the Ravens drafted the top interior offensive lineman of this year’s class in Penn State’s Vega Ioane, they failed to draft a new starting center. Taking a chance on Dawkins, who spent the past two years starting next to Ioane in Happy Valley, could be a strong bet. Dawkins will certainly have chemistry with his former line-mate, and a thin depth chart at the position could give him a strong chance to earn a roster spot.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/1/26
Here are Friday’s rookie signings from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Baltimore Ravens
- DT Rayshaun Benny (seventh round, Michigan)
Green Bay Packers
- DT Chris McClellan (third round, Missouri)
- OLB Dani Dennis-Sutton (fourth round, Penn State)
- C Jager Burton (fifth round, Kentucky)
- CB Domani Jackson (sixth round, Alabama)
- K Trey Smack (sixth round, Florida)
New England Patriots
- CB Karon Prunty (fifth round, Wake Forest)
Philadelphia Eagles
- G Micah Morris (sixth round, Georgia)
- DT Uar Bernard (seventh round, IPPP)
For both the Ravens and Packers, today’s signings leave them with only one unsigned rookie draft pick. Both teams still need to ink their second-round picks to closeout their 2026 draft class signings.
Discovered playing basketball at 16 years old in Nigeria, Bernard earned invitations to the NFL Nigeria camp in 2024 and the NFL Africa camp in Cairo in 2025. As part of the league’s International Player Pathway program, if Bernard is unable to make the initial 53-man roster, he can be placed on the practice squad without counting against the unit’s 16-player limit.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/1/26
Here are Friday’s minor transactions:
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers (from Titans): DE Ali Gaye
After playing the past two seasons in Tennessee, Gaye is returning to the team that initially signed him as an undrafted free agent out of LSU. Gaye spent his first year in the league on the Texans’ taxi squad, and when he failed to make the initial 53-man roster in Year 2, the Titans claimed him off waivers. Playing in 15 games with Tennessee in 2024, he even notched his first career sack against C.J. Stroud. Gaye started 2025 on the Titans’ practice squad and was called up to the active roster in mid-October, but he ended up on the injured reserve by November with a knee injury that would hold him out of the remainder of the year.
Born in the Gambia, Gaye qualifies for the exemption afforded to players as part of the International Player Pathway Program. This means that, if he lands on the Texans’ practice squad again, he won’t count against the unit’s 16-player limit.
Chiefs Decline DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s Fifth-Year Option
The final fifth-year option decisions are trickling in on deadline day. As the Rams and Giants made expected calls to pass on 2027 guarantees for cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes and Deonte Banks, the Chiefs are passing on their underwhelming 2023 first-rounder’s option.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who missed all of last season, will not see his option exercised, according to Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. The Chiefs drafted the Kansas City-area native 31st overall but have not seen him make inroads toward a prominent role in their defense.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
It would have cost Kansas City $14.48MM to exercise Anudike-Uzomah’s option. The Kansas State alum’s work to date did not give the Chiefs much of a decision here. Anudike-Uzomah joins Banks, Forbes, Anthony Richardson (Colts), Tyree Wilson (Saints), Broderick Jones (Steelers), Jack Campbell (Lions), Mazi Smith (Jets) and Myles Murphy (Bengals) in seeing their options declined.
Even as Campbell became an All-Pro who saw his option declined — as teams have steered clear of ILBs’ options for years now — the 2023 draft produced 22 exercised options. That represents a quality group, and two of those players — Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Will Anderson Jr. — have already signed record-setting extensions at their respective positions.
The Chiefs enjoyed rare draft real estate this year, using their No. 9 pick to trade up for cornerback Mansoor Delane. The Patrick Mahomes era has otherwise featured drafts either without a first-round pick (2018, as the team traded up for Mahomes a year prior) or a draft slot at or near the bottom of the round. That was the case in 2023, when the Chiefs were coming off a Super Bowl LVII win. Anudike-Uzomah, who played at nearby Lee’s Summit (Mo.) High before trekking to Kansas State, has just three sacks in 34 career games.
Kansas City went with D-ends in back-to-back first rounds, taking George Karlaftis in 2022. He has become a key starter for the team, signing a four-year extension during the 2025 offseason. The Chiefs made Mike Danna a cap casualty last month and let Charles Omenihu walk in free agency, but they were closely linked to using one of their first-round picks on an end. That did not happen, but the team circled back to the position by selecting Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas 40th overall.
After serving as an ineffective backup during his first two seasons, albeit while recording a sack in the Chiefs’ 2024 divisional-round win over the Texans, Anudike-Uzomah landed on IR last summer due to a hamstring strain. Those injuries typically do not cause season-nullifying transactions, but the Chiefs did not carry Anudike-Uzomah to their 53-man roster for a possible IR-return move.
He now will spend a contract year vying for playing time behind Karlaftis. The Chiefs also have 2025 third-rounder Ashton Gillotte in that mix, though the team is still looking for a surefire Karlaftis complementary piece. Anudike-Uzomah would transform his 2027 free agent market by making a belated push, and we have seen well-timed breakouts before. But the Chiefs are understandably passing on guaranteeing him any 2027 money based on performance thus far. He will be tied to a $3.76MM cap number this season.
Rams Decline CB Emmanuel Forbes’ Fifth-Year Option
The deadline for fifth-year option decisions has arrived, and although the Rams did not make a first-round pick in 2023, they held an option call thanks to their waiver claim of Emmanuel Forbes. As expected, Los Angeles will not provide the cornerback with a 2027 guarantee.
Forbes will see his option declined, per The33rdTeam’s Ari Meirov. The Rams overhauled their cornerback contingent this offseason, importing Chiefs starters Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson into their starting lineup. A record-setting extension followed for McDuffie, while his former Kansas City sidekick signed a three-year, $51MM Rams accord.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
It would have cost the Rams $12.63MM to exercise Forbes’ option. The 2020 CBA made options fully guaranteed, after the 2011 CBA allowed teams to pick up options and cut players later free of charge as long as they passed a physical. Although the current CBA has caused teams to be more careful with option decisions, the salary cap’s annual spikes have allowed some flexibility here.
Twenty-two 2023 first-rounders saw their options exercised this year. That beats the 2022 first-round contingent (19, though Derek Stingley Jr. was extended early) and the 2021 first-round crop (16, though three players were extended in that group). The 2020 draft only featured 12 exercised options, though the Packers extended Jordan Love in lieu of exercising his.
The ’23 first-round cornerback collection was 2-for-4 in exercised options, with the Seahawks and Patriots respectively extending Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez‘s rookie deals through 2027. The Giants, however, declined Deonte Banks‘ option today. Witherspoon and Gonzalez have become two of the NFL’s best corners, while Banks and Forbes have not lived up to the first-round billing.
The Commanders chose Forbes 16th overall, one spot in front of Gonzalez, and that regime was removed from power after the ’23 season. The Adam Peters-Dan Quinn duo moved on from the Ron Rivera-Martin Mayhew first-rounder quickly, cutting the lanky CB in November 2024 after dangling him in trades. The Rams swooped in with a claim and have used him sparingly since.
Coming to Washington after a Mississippi State career that included incredible ball production (14 INTs in three seasons, six pick-sixes), Forbes also entered the league south of 170 pounds. Size became an issue for the young ballhawk, who has five interceptions in three seasons. Forbes fell out of favor with Quinn’s staff and played in just two Rams games after being claimed in 2024. Last season, however, brought a much bigger role. L.A. used Forbes as a 14-game starter and deployed him on 73% of its defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus, however, graded Forbes 91st among qualified CB options in 2025.
As cornerback play may have been the Rams’ Achilles heel last season, the team paid up for replacements in McDuffie and Watson. The team also let Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick and 2025 deadline acquisition Roger McCreary walk. Forbes may still have a role in 2026, but a significant snap-share reduction appears in the offing. The 6-foot cover man does represent important depth behind the ex-Chiefs and nickel Quentin Lake, however, and has one more season to boost his free agency stock.