Vikings GM admits mistakes on Daniel Jones; J.J. McCarthy drafted on 'incomplete information'

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah acknowledged missteps in Daniel Jones’ free agency and said the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy with limited information, leaving the door open for quarterback competition.

Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) walks off the field after the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

In an eye-opening press conference on Tuesday, Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah admitted that the Vikings didn't handle Daniel Jones' free agency the right way last offseason, while also acknowledging that they might've missed on J.J. McCarthy.

After head coach Kevin O'Connell said the plan this offseason is to bring in competition for McCarthy, Adofo-Mensah's first admission was that they thought there was a better chance of Jones re-signing with them instead of going to the Indianapolis Colts, where he was a star before a season-ending Achilles injury

"You're trying to make sure that you don't lock yourselves into what you did and thinking that it's always right," Adofo-Mensah said. "I always go back to the process and what we thought at the time. It's easier to go and be revisionist and results-based, but going to really think through what we had at the time, I still understand why we did what we did. The results maybe didn't play out the way we wanted them to, but ultimately, I think that at the end of the day, we could've executed better in certain places."

Adofo-Mensah didn't give specifics initially, but he later admitted that he regrets how they handled the Daniel Jones negotiations. Here's what he said when a reporter asked if the Vikings were "overconfident" about Jones returning.

"I don't want to say overconfidence, but I do think him being here was something that we kind of considered and thought would impact his decision. But ultimately, there are free agents, and to your point, learning lessons. I think, execution-wise, you have to treat it as such. No matter what the conversation is or relationships are, free agents are free for a reason, and they're allowed to vet all their options. Ultimately, we could've executed better around that."

Jones led the Colts to an 8-4 record before he ruptured his Achilles on December 7. He completed 68% of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

Dec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) stands on the field during the National Anthem before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Adofo-Mensah then admitted that they chose McCarthy in the 2024 draft even though they had limited information to support their belief that he could blossom into a franchise quarterback. His admission came when he was asked if he wants McCarthy to be the starting quarterback in 2026.

"I want the Vikings to achieve our goals, and I think one of those goals is to make playoff runs and do different things like that. I think [McCarthy] has the character and ability to be the person to do that for our organization. If I say that in 2026, that kind of binds us into a certain area," Adofo-Mensah began.

"The way we've set this team up, we've built this core to really, like we've always talked about, give ourselves multiple shots at it because you never know when there's going to be a year when the field feels a little bit wide open, and you can make that run. That's what we're really focused on. Talking about whether it's this year or next year isn't really my immediate reflection. It's my job to bring that deep, competitive room that we've talked about to the Vikings."

Adofo-Mensah said drafting McCarthy required going "on incomplete information."

"Sometimes you have to go on incomplete information, and the information we had was all good, but it was, admittedly, incomplete and small sample. Ultimately, we trusted in the information we had. We trusted in our coaches. We trusted in our team around him to do that," the GM said.

"Ultimately, we're comfortable with where we are, and we're excited about where he can go."

Clearly, the Vikings aren't sure he can go far enough to be guaranteed the starting job in 2026, and that means they'll be bringing in competition.