Overview
- The Athletic reported that Paton’s name is circulating for Minnesota’s GM opening after the Vikings dismissed Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
- Paton is entering the final year of a six-year deal signed in 2021, a timing wrinkle that has prompted fresh interest and leverage talk.
- Broncos CEO Greg Penner publicly backed continuity, saying the team would like to keep Paton and head coach Sean Payton long term.
- Minnesota installed Rob Brzezinski as interim GM through the 2026 NFL Draft, with the broader search expected to ramp up afterward.
- Any pursuit by the Vikings would require Denver’s permission and likely compensation because it would be a lateral move under NFL rules.