Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s NFL Draft strategy took a major blow on Monday night due to no fault of his own

It’s not an ideal situation, but not all hope is lost

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

One of the big strategies for the Minnesota Vikings this offseason had to do with accumulating NFL Draft picks through trades and the compensatory formula. So far, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has a projected 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Cam Robinson’s benching complicates compensatory selections

The trades of Harrison Phillips, Sam Howell, and Mekhi Blackmon garnered the Vikings multiple picks in 2026 and 2027, and it’s a really good base for the Vikings heading into the draft process. Even so, the compensatory selections haven’t been decided yet.

On Monday night, one of their projected compensatory picks took a major blow, as the Houston Texans decided to bench offensive tackle Cam Robinson after just one game.

This is a tough one. The Texans signed Robinson this offseason to a one-year deal worth $12.5 million, which felt like a lot for him at the time. It turns out that feeling was correct, as he didn’t play a single offensive snap on Monday night.

The reason why this is such a big deal has to do with the projected comp picks. The formula is based on three things:

  • Salary per average annual value
  • Percent of snaps taken
  • Postseason awards

Robinson was on track to qualify for a fourth-round compensatory pick. If he stays on the bench, that likely drops down to a fifth-round pick. With center Ryan Kelly projected to play all season barring injury (he’s currently dealing with a concussion), that could end up dropping the pick down to a sixth or seventh-round pick, with other players factoring in with playing time.

It would be a downer to see Robinson’s compensatory pick drop that far, especially since a fourth-round pick would be just replacing the pick the Vikings gave up for a starting-caliber left tackle last season when Christian Darrisaw went down.

However, we won’t know 100% until the compensatory picks get announced in March, but it’s not a great sign right now.

Related Articles