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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell could retain a lot of say with a new GM.

The Minnesota Vikings have gone through the busiest portion of the offseason without a full-time general manager in place. However, the Vikings have turned their attention to Terrance Gray of the Buffalo Bills as their search begins in earnest.

Rob Brzezinski is the Vikings’ interim GM, and he is well-regarded in the organization.

That being said, the Vikings are using all of the tools at their disposal. They are searching for the franchise’s sixth full-timer.

Vikings Get Started on GM Search With Bills’ Terrance Gray

“The Vikings have requested an interview with Bills assistant general manager Terrance Gray for their GM job, per source,” NFL Network league insider Tom Pelissero reported in a post on X on May 6.

“Gray spent 11 seasons with Minnesota as a college scout before joining Buffalo in 2017.”

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport posted “The #Vikings begin their search process to fill their GM vacancy” in reaction to the news.

The Bills promoted Gray from director of player personnel to assistant general manager under GM Brandon Beane last offseason. He has been a popular candidate in recent offseasons, interviewing for vacancies around the league.

“Gray’s on the doorstep, having interviewed for the Raiders, Chargers, Jaguars and Titans jobs over the last two cycles. He made it to the final round in Tennessee last year. Gray rose on the college scouting side in Minnesota, working under Rick Spielman and Broncos GM George Paton there, before Brandon Beane brought him to Buffalo to be college scouting director in 2017,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote in January.

“Gray is one of Beane’s top guys, earning a seat in the room for every big decision, from draft picks, to free-agent signings, to extensions, roster machinations and everything in between. He’s also had a direct line to ownership, working with the [Bills owners], which should be valuable experience whenever he gets his shot.”

Brzezinski has expressed an interest in keeping the job full-time, but Gray is a strong option.

Vikings Search Expected to be Thorough

Amid questions about just how much say head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores will have going forward. They have both seemingly had their thumbs on the scale in the draft.

The Vikings could be embracing a growing trend.

“The Vikings remain in the early stages of this process,” The Athletic’s Alec Lewis wrote in an article on May 6.

“They hired a search firm. That search firm, TurnkeyZRG, has met with agents and league executives to discuss potential candidates. It has also considered ideas about the optimal structure within the front office.”

Lewis cited the front offices in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and New York.

The general manager is not necessarily the lead executive,” Lewis wrote, pointing to “triumvirates” featuring the coaching staff, GM, and a lead football executive.

Those setups all feature first-time GMs, which could indicate that is a direction the Vikings are looking to go. Brzezinski is a long-time contract negotiator and could be a fine fit for the lead role, due to his experience, while the Vikings find an up-and-comer like Gray to fill the GM role.