As soon as the Minnesota Vikings decided to fire general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, there was chatter about the idea of Denver Broncos general manager George Paton being recruited to return to the team he spent over a decade with.
And frankly, the rumors made a lot of sense, even if there wasn't any real substance to them. Paton was previously entering his contract year with the Broncos in 2026, and anytime there is a looming contract situation, anything feels like a possibility until pen is put to paper, one way or the other.
Paton has now signed a five-year contract extension with the Broncos through the 2030 season, and will not be leaving the Broncos for the Minnesota Vikings. But that doesn't mean the Vikings won't try to pluck some of the fruit of Paton's front office tree.
According to multiple media reports, the Vikings are progressing in the interview process with Reed Burckhardt, the Denver Broncos' assistant general manager.
Denver Broncos could lose assistant GM Reed Burckhardt to Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota is flying #Broncos assistant GM Reed Burckhardt to meet in-person for a second interview in their GM process, a source said.
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) May 20, 2026
Big opportunity for Burckhardt, a Minnesota native and longtime Vikings personnel riser before George Paton hired him in Denver https://t.co/4ww2lV4PBa
Burckhardt is currently entering his 5th season with the Denver Broncos, although he might not make it through a 5th full season if the Vikings continue their full-court press.
Prior to joining the Broncos, Burckhardt spent 13 years rising through the ranks with the Minnesota Vikings, all the way from an intern to the director of pro scouting. With the Broncos, he's been the director of player personnel and assistant general manager, a role he held for one year after the Broncos lost former assistant GM Darren Mougey to the New York Jets.
Burckhardt was once a quarterback at South Dakota State and is a native of Minnesota, whose roots in the organization obviously go quite deep.
For the Broncos, it would continue the 'next man up' mentality as they've had to do some shuffling in recent years, including making a number of significant promotions last offseason.
One of the names on the rise right behind Burckhardt is Cam Williams, the Broncos' co-director of player personnel who had previously spent nine years with the Patriots prior to his arrival in Denver.
For the first time, we actually got a chance to hear from both Burckhardt and Williams during the NFL Draft as they broke down some of the team's selections this past April.
If the Vikings do poach Burckhardt, which feels like a distinct possibility given the fact that he's getting a second interview with the team, don't be shocked if Williams is promoted in his place.
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