INDIANAPOLIS — Ryan Grigson was walking through the Indiana Convention Center, the host of the NFL Scouting Combine's Media Center, when he passed by former colleagues and jokingly introduced Demitrius Washington as his "partner in crime."

Grigson, now the Vikings Senior Vice President of Player Personnel, and Washington, now the Vikings Vice President of Football Operations, could also be known as "partners in finds" or "partners in the mines."

They are entering their fourth season of working together in the Minnesota, having developed and refined their approach of blending their distinctly different backgrounds into a collective effort of building the Vikings roster.

Grigson and Washington are involved in efforts to retain upcoming free agents and scour multiple sources for players to add, either through the free agency process, which will open March 12, the NFL Draft (April 24-26) or the signing of undrafted players.

They have become fluent in a shared language, allowing for the processing of various information to help guide organizational decisions through free agency and the draft (and any laps back through free agency after the draft).

"It's really a blessing because he's so smart," Grigson, the former Purdue offensive lineman and 1995 sixth-round pick of Cincinnati, said. "The way he sees the game though, on top of his analytics prowess, he brings so much to the table, and the names he brings to me are so huge for our department because they usually are guys that are past all the specs on the analytics side and are usually ascending players."

Washington, who was recently recognized in The Athletic's "NFL 50 Under 40," explained how the connection has developed.

"I think it's honestly getting to know each other more, whether it's work related or just as a person," Washington said. "A lot of things kind of connect, and some things go unsaid. It's just, we've gotten to know each other so much more and are able to bounce ideas off each other and able to understand each other.

"If I don't fully articulate an idea, or he doesn't fully articulate an idea, I'm able to see where he's going based on the experience we've had together," Washington added.

The Vikings were well prepared last year to utilize a boost in cap space created mainly by Kirk Cousins' departure for the Falcons.

What followed was signing not one but two edge rushers who made the Pro Bowl (Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel) and offset the departure of Danielle Hunter, along with starting inside linebacker Blake Cashman, who excelled in the Green Dot communication role.

The signing of quarterback Sam Darnold and running back Aaron Jones, Sr., to one-year deals paid big dividends but now result in some important upcoming decisions.

"The direction and the intentionality of it all was a key to last year's process," Washington said. "We articulated a vision for each of our acquisitions last year, and we had an idea of what we wanted coming in, and it's not always going to work out that way, but I felt like last year was one of the highest, when you think about putting an investment on, it was one of the highest outcomes we can expect to achieve. It's about being intentional, and that's what showed throughout our process and results last year."

Beyond that first wave of signings, the Vikings were able to strategically strengthen their roster as the offseason progressed.

Grigson noted the continuity of the coaching staff (Head Coach Kevin O'Connell, Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips, Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels are going into their fourth season with Minnesota, and Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores is returning for a third) helps the personnel department.

"A lot of times it comes down to being really receptive to what the coaches feel like they are going to be successful with, because everybody's rear ends are on the line, and everybody wants to win," Grigson said. "It's going to happen sometimes where we see someone we like better or maybe the same as the coaches, but if you don't have that full buy-in, it usually doesn't go the right way, and we want to have guys in our building that everybody is excited about and sees as not only a one-contract guy but a two-contract guy. It's on different levels. If you hit on a Jalen Redmond, 'Look, we can find these guys on our 90-man in June, then that should be the mindset throughout.' "

The Vikings currently have a first-round and two fifth-round picks but are expected to receive a third-round compensatory pick to offset Cousins' departure last season.

The scarcity of picks this year, which could change in the next two months via trades, increases the importance of intentionality to maximize the selections.

"It's being intentional with the vision for the player and how that player fits into our organization and into our plans moving forward," Washington said. "It's always key, but [since] we have four picks this year, that's what we have to nail down and are striving to do."

The Vikings also will be mindful of continuing to land undrafted rookie free agents after the draft concludes and continue a strong streak of mining prospects. Grigson credited Washington for being a "grinder."

It takes one to know one.

"He will go and find a guy he thinks is going to be a college free agent and feel like we're getting him there even though he should be a fourth-round pick," Grigson said. "I love that about him and the conviction he has and how he sees it, because he sees it with his eyes and not just his brain. I feel like we're a really good match for one another and we know [General Manager] Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] really well, so we know what to bring to him, what to not bring to him, how to approach conversations and when we need to have those conversations.

"I feel like it's our job … to help him because it's a really hard job and he's getting pulled a thousand different ways, said Grigson, who was GM of the Colts from 2012-16 when Indianapolis went 49-31. "We try to bring him the big-ticket items that we feel like are going to move the needle for the department and the club. Demitrius has known him even longer than I have, so those relationships are so key to our ascent as a department, and the trust within it has just grown over these three years, going into four."

Grigson said the limited number of picks means, "We're going to have to scout our rears off."

"I know Kwesi, though," he said. "He's a master at being able to acquire more draft capital when that time comes, and I know he will, and we'll have more picks."

"I feel like we always talk about a three-year horizon with players. I think there's a three-year horizon on departments," Grigson added. "There's a getting-to-know process, a lot of guys we had never worked with before here, just getting a feel for everyone, their style, how they grade, and that's something I feel like happens over time, and I think we're really in a spot now to take off with our process. I think free agency showed that last year, and hopefully with the draft we really nail some guys."