Vikings' Interest in Reed Burckhardt Reflects Broncos’ Stability Under Paton

George Paton's top lieutenant has advanced to the next round of interviews for the Minnesota Vikings' general manager vacancy.

Dec 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos general manager George Paton before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

A member of the Denver Broncos' front office is once again being coveted by another NFL team. In the wake of the Broncos extending GM George Paton, keeping him in the front office through 2030, the Minnesota Vikings shifted gears and requested an interview with Denver's assistant GM, Reed Burckhardt, for their general manager job, which has been vacant since January.

There were rumors that the Vikings were waiting for the Paton situation to resolve, because he was purportedly their top GM target, and when the Broncos locked him up, Minnesota took aim at Burckhardt, who has already had one interview with them.

According to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, Burckhardt is one of five candidates the Vikings plan to have back for a second round of interviews. The official request has been sent to the Broncos, asking for an in-person sitdown with Burckhardt this time around.

Sources to @NFLonCBS: Vikings have requested in-person second-round interviews for their vacant GM position with these five candidates:
Vikings interim GM Rob Brzezinski
Broncos AGM Reed Burckhardt
Bills AGM Terrance Gray
Rams AGM John McKay
Seahawks AGM Nolan Teasley

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) May 20, 2026

Burckhardt's Role

After Paton took the GM job in Denver back in 2021, he hired Burckhardt as director of player personnel in 2022. Burkhardt spent the preceding 13 years in the Vikings' front office, most of which was working alongside Paton.

Following Darren Mougey's departure for the New York Jets' general manager job in 2025, Paton promoted Burckhardt to assistant GM.

Burckhardt helps spearhead the Broncos' pro and college scouting departments, and is "real important" to the team's process, according to head coach Sean Payton.

“He’s real important to our process," Payton said of Burckhardt in June of 2025. "He’s passionate, and you have to be in that business. It can be lonely. It’s not for everyone. Hotels, laptop computer, film. He has a real good eye for talent. He’s not afraid to give you his opinion even if it’s contrary to maybe what you want to hear.”

Are you at all concerned about the Broncos potentially losing assistant GM Reed Burckhardt to the Vikings? pic.twitter.com/d5zy1kPV8m

— Denver Broncos On SI (@BroncosOnScout) May 21, 2026

Paton's Staff Being Hunted

Time will tell how it shakes out, but the Broncos' turnaround over the past three years has captured the attention of front offices across the NFL. Mougey was hired away last year, while the Las Vegas Raiders lured former Broncos director of college scouting Brian Stark as assistant GM and former vice president of football operations and compliance Mark Thewes, who took a similar role in Sin City, with the nominal promotion to "senior vice president."

Even the Raiders' general manager, John Spytek, is a former Broncos national scout, though his path to Vegas was more circuitous than that of Stark of Thewes. Spytek was a scout during the John Elway front-office era, as was Adam Peters, who left for greener pastures in 2017 and is now the Washington Commanders' GM.

The bottom line is that the NFL is very impressed with where the Broncos are now as a franchise, and teams are trying to get a piece of the philosophy and unique perspective that have helped spark the turnaround. The Broncos have won 32 games over the past three years, with two playoff berths, and an AFC West crown.

This team was one sudden, freak Bo Nix injury away from the Super Bowl.

The Takeaway

Fortunately, the most important front office executive isn't going anywhere. Paton signed a five-year extension, and the Broncos will be able to continue building around the continuity they have with him and Payton.

Together, Paton and Payton forge one of the NFL's most dynamic and productive general manager/head coach duos, and that will continue to benefit the Broncos in both the short and long term. Losing Burckhardt would be a setback, but only a small speedbump that wouldn't prevent the Broncos from getting back up to speed in no time flat.

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