Vikings Rumor Rundown: Next GM, Garrett Bradbury, Dillon Bell

Minnesota Vikings

The NFL draft is complete, but the Minnesota Vikings rumor mill is not over. It never stops, in fact. Consider this the first batch of post-draft rumors, highlighted by the search for a new general manager or the promotion of the existing one.

The draft is over, but Minnesota’s offseason rumor mill still has three names worth tracking.



The next stop in the offseason is the schedule release, which will occur within the next two weeks.

Minnesota’s Front Office and Roster Questions Stay Active After the Draft

The Purple Rumor Mill is here for May 2nd, 2026.

Rob Brzezinski chats with Gabe Henderson during a Vikings.com interview. Vikings rumors
Vikings executive Rob Brzezinski sits down with Vikings.com’s Gabe Henderson for an in-depth interview, Feb. 17, 2022, discussing front-office philosophy, roster construction strategy, and the hiring of head coach Kevin O’Connell while outlining Minnesota’s leadership structure and long-term football operations vision in a featured digital segment. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.

Rumor: Rob Brzezinski is the frontrunner to keep the general manager title. He wants it.

Fans thought that Brzezinski would probably be interested in the full-time gig after serving as the interim option for the last three months. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert confirmed that this week.

He wrote, “Minnesota Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski has expressed interest in the permanent job as the team begins its search process this week, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Brzezinski, the team’s longtime contract negotiator and salary cap manager, has been running the Vikings’ front office since Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired Jan. 30.”

“Owners Zygi and Mark Wilf asked all team employees to focus on free agency and the draft in the immediate aftermath. Brzezinski, who has turned down interest for prominent roles from other teams during his 27 years with the Vikings, had not indicated whether he wanted to pursue the job. Regardless of Brzezinski’s interest, Mark Wilf said last month that the Vikings would use a third party to help cull a list of candidates to run a thorough and open-ended search.”

Brzezinski has made no major blunders since Adofo-Mensah exited stage left. He’s the current frontrunner for his own job.

Rumor: Former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury could already lose his job in Chicago.

The Bears spent a 2nd-Rounder last week on 25-year-old Iowa center Jones. Second-round centers see action sooner rather than later.

SI.com’s Jerry Markarian scribed Sunday, “Virtually everyone expected the Chicago Bears to be in the market for a developmental center in the 2026 NFL Draft. Veteran trade acquisition Garrett Bradbury, whom they shipped a fifth-round pick for shortly after Drew Dalman’s abrupt retirement, only has one year remaining on his contract, after all. With that said, very few expected them to prioritize the position in the second round.”

“They felt the value of Iowa center Logan Jones, who was widely considered the best center in this year’s class, was too good to pass up at pick 57. They completely changed the shape of the center room in the process. Unlike some of the other options that would’ve come into play later in the draft, he has a legitimate shot to start from day one.”

Garrett Bradbury stands on the sideline before a Vikings game against the Bills. Vikings rumors
Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury (56) stands on the sideline during pregame warmups, Nov. 13, 2022, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, as the Vikings prepare for a road matchup against the Buffalo Bills in a tightly contested regular season showdown. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports.

Bradbury is on borrowed time — and he hasn’t played a single snap in Chicago. The Bears acquired him via trade with the New England Patriots for a 5th-Rounder.

There’s also a scenario in which Bradbury lands back with the Vikings if Jones wins the job this summer, though the Bears and Vikings rarely do trade business together.

Rumor: Dillon Bell is the next big UDFA for the Vikings.

The Vikings added 19 undrafted free agents after the draft, and due to the fact that fans just love wide receivers, Bell earned UDFA headlines.

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis wrote, “You can see what the Vikings were going for here. Bell is a big-bodied offensive weapon who doesn’t just look like a running back. The 6-foot, 210-pounder averaged 7.3 yards per carry as a runner at Georgia.”

“The route running is the primary hurdle, but that’s precisely why the Vikings would make this type of bet. How Minnesota uses the spring and summer to find the right role for him will be telling. His frame and traits are enticing.”

Bell feels like he could be a Deebo Samuel-lite weapon for Kevin O’Connell.

Dillon Bell reacts after Georgia’s SEC Championship game against Alabama. Vikings rumors
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Dillon Bell (86) looks on from the field following the final whistle, Dec. 6, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, after Georgia’s matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game during the 2025 college football season. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images.

His coach at Georgia, Kirby Smart, on Bell: “He’s a positionless player. He can play tight end. He can play Wildcat quarterback. He can play tailback. He’s certainly a good receiver. He’s a great returner. That’s what people are moving to in the NFL, guys that can go out there and create matchups.”

“He does that. He can be in the backfield and create some problems for the defense. But more important than that, he’s a great person. He led by example here. He never complained once about snaps and touches and that says a lot about what he brought into the team.”

Perhaps Bell is the UDFA fans will track with enthusiasm this summer.


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