Insider Offers Clarity on George Paton-Vikings Rumor

Despite the romping success George Paton has had of late as the Denver Broncos' general manager, rumors have persisted that he could be in play for the Minnesota Vikings' vacancy. Paton's first two years as GM in Denver featured several great draft picks, but it didn't start translating to the standings until Sean Payton was hired as head coach in 2023.

Since then, Paton and Payton have won 32 games, a division crown, and came one shockingly ill-timed Bo Nix injury away from a Super Bowl berth. You'd think that would have Paton on solid footing with the Broncos, and yet, as he enters the final year of his contract, he hasn't been extended by ownership. That could simply be a timing thing, though.

However, these circumstances have helped fan the flames of the Vikings' rumor mill. Last week at the NFL owners meeting, ESPN's Kevin Seifert threw additional cold water on the speculation that Paton could return to Minnesota, where he served as assistant GM for years.

"There are no indications that Paton is on his way out in Denver or wants to leave. ESPN senior national NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler reported that Paton appears set to return, and Broncos coach Sean Payton has expressed hope that Paton will sign a contract extension," Seifert wrote.

Broncos Plan to Keep Paton

There were questions about whether the Vikings' ownership and V.P. of football operations Rob Brzezinski were keeping the door open for a Paton return after firing former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah back in January. Paton is under contract in Denver for a while yet, but all signs at the owners meetings in Phoenix point to the Broncos having no intention of letting their general manager go.

“I’ve said the same thing [before]: We want to have George here long term," Broncos co-owner and CEO Greg Penner said last week from Phoenix. "He’s been a terrific partner for Sean [Payton] and how they work together. I’m sure we’ll get that sorted out.”

Payton himself has expressed publicly his strong belief that his GM partner will be extended soon. Paton and Payton have developed a dynamic, productive football partnership in Denver. The results speak for themselves.

Paton certainly hasn't expressed any interest in leaving Denver, and even if he were, he's smart enough to never say anything publicly. The truth is, it was the Broncos that finally gave Paton his first shot at being a GM after more than a decade in the Vikings' front office, laboring behind then-GM Rick Spielman, who remains a close friend of Paton's.

Paton's Hard Work Coming to Fruition

Five years later, Paton is living the dream. He's paired with an ideal head coach (after an unfruitful search that backfired in 2022), and he finally has the quarterback position solved, on top of All-Pros and Pro Bowlers at all the other cornerstone positions like left tackle, edge rusher, and cornerback.

The Broncos are on the rise, and Paton's savvy drafting and pro personnel moves are a big reason why. After putting in all the work to turn the Broncos' ship around, now that it's moving in the right direction, why would Paton have any interest in starting over somewhere else?

Vikings Had Their Chance

I get the long-time Minnesota connection and the friendships Paton still has there, but the Vikings had their chance to retain him. As an organization, the Vikings' future is now very cloudy after they made the decision to let Sam Darnold walk in free agency a year ago.

J.J. McCarthy isn't ready and may not ever be, which is why they signed Kyler Murray last month. Head coach Kevin O'Connell resurrected Darnold's career, so there's reason for Vikings' fans to have hope in Murray, but not every success is duplicatable.

That kind of drama is a hornet's nest that Paton likely wants no part of, maybe even if he were a free agent, which he is not. The Broncos have expressed every intention of getting Paton re-signed long term, and so far, Penner has been a man of his word when it comes to following through on the things he says publicly.

The Takeaway

It feels like it's time to put the Paton/Vikings speculation to bed, but until the Broncos either extend him, or Minnesota hires a new GM, the rumors will likely persist as a low rumble, at least.

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