O’Connell Racing to Catch Up—And it Starts With Kirk
Vikings Territory Breakdown: Podcast
The offseason begins. New Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell held his introductory press conference last week and hit all the right notes. It officially signaled the end of the 2021 season, in which he won a Super Bowl title with the Los Angeles Rams and now pledges (hopes) to do the same in Minnesota. And it can’t have started too soon, as KOC, with his extended 2021 season, celebration and parade, is already behind in the race to assemble a staff as the NFL Combine in Indianapolis fast approaches.
KOC hired some of his defensive staff leaders last week, reportedly hired his offensive coordinator from the Rams this week and was blocked by his old boss Sean McVay when attempting to steal away another Rams coach, Jonathan Cooley the Rams’ assistant defensive backs coach for the 2021 season. When you are behind the eight ball timewise, you have to make moves, but sometimes that Magic 8-Ball might come up, “Outlook not so good.”
Still, the Vikings under new GM Kwesi Adolfo Mensah were not sitting idly by while KOC was high-fiving his former players and drinking champagne in the back of a parade car. They were interviewing plenty of new staff members and were ready to bring them aboard just as soon as KOC was in place. Mark Craig from the Star Tribune and Joe Oberle, senior writer for VikingsTerritory and purplePTSD, will look at all the new hires to the Vikings staff and speculate what’s to come next on the VT Breakdown podcast.
What’s next for KOC is preparing for the Combine and the week of player analysis to come. But he should prepare to start facing the touch questions that are sure to be asked in Indianapolis regarding his roster and the big-name (and big salaried) players who require a decision very soon.
We all know about Kirk Cousins and his $45 million salary that is set for next season (and reports that he is very interested in a pay cut) and how KOC said he is anticipating coaching Kirk again next season. But there is also the looming decision on the, unfortunately, oft-injured Danielle Hunter, who is due $18 million on March 20th despite having only played in seven game over the past two seasons. This decision is every bit as important to the defense as the Cousins one is to the offense. VT Breakdown will discuss all the Twitter chatter on the latest Cousins or Hunter trade rumors, which have already started in earnest. No time to bask in the World Champion glow or nurse a parade party hangover for KOC. He is hopefully already knee deep in 40-yard times, college tape and writing probing (i.e. bizarre) player interview questions. Maybe we will have some of those questions on the Breakdown. Tune in and check it out.
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