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Nolan Teasley Is Minnesota’s GM. Seattle Gets Two Third-Round Picks.
The Minnesota Vikings have hired Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley as their general manager, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The man who started as a scouting intern in 2013 now runs a franchise. In between, he helped build two Super Bowl champions without ever once becoming a household name.
Teasley’s origin story belongs in a motivation poster nobody would believe. He had a career in marketing. He wrote letters to every NFL team asking for a chance. Only one called back. John Schneider offered him an internship. Teasley turned that into 13 years, a title, and eventually, a job offer that couldn’t be refused. He replaces Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was fired a week before Sam Darnold won the Super Bowl with the quarterback Minnesota let walk.
The silver lining for Seattle is tangible: two third-round compensatory picks, one in 2027 and one in 2028, thanks to the NFL’s Rooney Rule executive compensation policy. Seattle is now projected to have 12 total picks in the 2027 draft. Schneider with 12 picks and a trade phone is a dangerous combination.
12
Projected Seahawks picks in the 2027 NFL Draft after Teasley’s departure triggers two third-round comp picks.
The Vikings view Teasley, head coach Kevin O’Connell, and EVP Rob Brzezinski as a three-headed leadership team. Teasley was the only finalist without Minnesota ties. He won the job on reputation alone. The Seahawks will look to replace him from within, knowing the pipeline that produced Teasley, Scott Fitterer, and others is still running.
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Yahoo Sports Says 12 Wins Is in the Seahawks’ Wheelhouse
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The case is straightforward. Most of Seattle’s offensive core returns: Darnold, JSN, Kupp, Shaheed, Barner. The defense added Fowler, Igbinoghene, and D’Anthony Bell in free agency, plus Bud Clark and Julian Neal on Day 2 of the draft. The only starting departures from the Super Bowl were Walker and, depending on how you count snaps, Mafe. Yahoo noted the NFC West remains brutal, with the Rams and 49ers both lurking, but the defending champs have continuity on their side.
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Teasley wrote letters to every NFL team asking for a shot. Only one answered. Thirteen years later, the guy who couldn’t get a return phone call just became a general manager.
OTAs continue today with Sessions 4 and 5 on the schedule. Mandatory minicamp is June 9-11. Hard Knocks cameras arrive in July. The runway to September 9 is getting shorter.
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AROUND THE COOP
Around the Coop
Seattle Sports’ Zac Hereth notes the Seahawks are projected to receive four additional comp picks in 2027 for losing Walker, Mafe, Woolen, and Bryant in free agency. Combined with the Teasley picks, Schneider could have 12 picks next April. Somebody hide the trade phone. Seattle Sports
Turf Show Times is already worried that Teasley’s hire shifts the NFC power balance because Schneider now has a trade partner who learned the business in his building. The Rams’ assistant GM, John McKay, was one of the finalists Teasley beat. Rams fans felt that one. Turf Show Times
Seaside Joe frames the Teasley hire as a net win for Seattle, pointing out that Seahawks DC Aden Durde now becomes a potential future head coaching candidate for Minnesota if things go sideways. Schneider building an empire one departing executive at a time. Seaside Joe
NFC WEST SCHADENFREUDE REPORT
RAMS
Puka Nacua stood at the OTA podium and said he “hasn’t really thought about” his next contract. Sure. The guy making roughly $5.8 million while JSN makes $42.15 million per year hasn’t thought about money. Turf Show Times openly concedes the next deal will likely eclipse JSN’s $168.6 million total. The off-field situation complicates things. Rapoport says this OTA return is being viewed as a “reset.” Meanwhile, the Rams beat John McKay for the Vikings GM job to Teasley, so now Schneider has a buddy running the trade phone in Minneapolis and the Rams don’t. Tough week in Woodland Hills.
NINERS
The 49ers opened OTAs and the first real news out of Santa Clara was that Isaac Guerendo tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights a month ago. Bosa’s rehabbing a torn ACL. Kittle’s rehabbing a torn Achilles. Trent Williams was the only healthy player absent, and Shanahan says he’ll show up “next week,” which in Trent Williams time could mean August. The team signed two emergency running backs just to have warm bodies behind McCaffrey. Meanwhile, Mac Jones’ shoulder was “a little sore” so he didn’t throw. The infirmary has its own OTA schedule.
CARDINALS
It’s June 1. The post-June 1 trade window is officially open, and Josh Sweat’s phone is about to ring. Arizona can save $10.9 million by moving their best pass rusher. Green Bay, where fired Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon now coordinates the defense, is the consensus favorite. The Cardinals paid $76 million for a player who lasted one season before requesting a trade. At least the cap math works out eventually.
SEACHICKENS TRIVIA
The Seahawks drafted center Kevin Mawae in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft out of LSU, but he spent only four seasons in Seattle before signing with the New York Jets. How many games did Mawae play as a Seahawk, and how many Pro Bowl selections did he earn over his 16-year NFL career?
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Mawae played 62 games (59 starts) in Seattle from 1994 to 1997. He went on to earn eight Pro Bowl selections and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019. The Seahawks let a future Hall of Famer walk after four seasons because they didn’t think he was good enough. Mawae became the highest-paid center in the NFL the moment he left.
Got a Question for The Rooster?
What should Schneider do with 12 draft picks? Should we worry about losing Teasley? Is the Witherspoon extension taking too long? Send your questions and I’ll answer one in a future issue. No question too weird. No cap math too ambitious.
Teasley left with a handshake and two comp picks. The Schneider tree keeps growing. OTAs resume tomorrow. Go Hawks. — The Rooster