The Minnesota Vikings' search for a new general manager is shaping up to be more competitive than many fans realize. Host Tyler Forness of The Real Forno Show, a seasoned beat writer and NFL draft analyst, recently teamed up with coaching and GM candidate expert A.J. Schulte to break down every contender in the race. Together, they ranked all seven candidates vying for the top front-office job, offering scout-level insights you won't find anywhere else.

Forness and Schulte organized the field into clear tiers. On the long-shot side, they examined Tennessee Titans assistant GM Dave Ziegler—a former Raiders GM whose tenure was overshadowed by his ties to Josh McDaniels. Also in this group are 49ers assistant GM R.J. Gillen and Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley. Schulte praised Gillen's work: "He handles a lot of their free agency boards and market value assessments... I'm pretty confident he was a huge factor in the Christian McCaffrey trade." Teasley also earned high marks: "You just don't see guys go from intern to assistant GM in basically a decade. It just doesn't happen."

But the real buzz surrounds the top three candidates. When it comes to who should actually lead the Vikings, both Forness and Schulte agree on one name. "I think it's Chad Alexander," Schulte said without hesitation. "The first thing he talks about is trust—and building that relationship. That's how you build trust in the building." Alexander, currently assistant GM for the Los Angeles Chargers, boasts a pedigree forged under Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore. He also played a key role in the 2022 Jets draft class that landed Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson. Known as a straight shooter, Alexander earns loyalty from scouts. Schulte added: "Chad Alexander is loved because he's direct and honest. Scouts live in fear of getting something wrong—Alexander isn't that kind of guy."

The lone internal candidate, Rob Brzezinski, rounds out the list. While his deep familiarity with the Vikings organization is a plus, the consensus suggests that Minnesota may be looking for fresh leadership to steer the ship forward.