Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune reported that if Minnesota had kept the 12th pick in the 2022 NFL draft, they would have selected Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams. Instead, the Vikings traded back 20 spots with the Detroit Lions, who used the selection on Williams while Minnesota drafted Georgia safety Lewis Cine.
Cine appeared in 10 games with no starts before his 2024 release, and the Vikings’ other early selections—second-rounder Andrew Booth Jr. and fourth-rounder Akayleb Evans—failed to deliver, prompting the team to pursue cornerback help through trades and free agency.
The analysis suggests that Williams might not have been the best player available at that spot. Kyle Hamilton, a Notre Dame safety, was widely regarded as the top safety in the draft and went 14th to the Baltimore Ravens, where he earned multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. An ESPN poll entering the 2025 season ranked Hamilton No. 1 at his position.
Vikings fans on the r/minnesotavikings subreddit reacted with frustration, noting that Minnesota later still landed a strong No. 2 receiver in Jordan Addison at No. 23 in the 2023 draft. The top comment centered on Hamilton’s pedigree and the sense that Minnesota may have misread the value at the 12th pick.
There was ongoing debate about positional value—whether drafting a safety that high is prudent when a premier wide receiver is available—and whether the leaks about the trade to a divisional rival compounded the perceived misstep.
Beyond draft decisions, the piece highlights broader leadership tensions, including reports of internal disagreement over the Adam Thielen trade and the team’s hesitation to pursue Aaron Rodgers, potentially due to ownership concerns and fan backlash. Sources cited in the coverage indicate a pattern of information leaks that continue to complicate assessments of Adofo-Mensah’s tenure.
