Vikings Defensive Coordinator Search Is Complete

Brian Flores Will Have 1
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

After several weeks of searching, the Vikings finally got their man. Brian Flores will be the new defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, and you should be absolutely stoked.

Over the last several weeks, they interviewed or showed interest in several people, including Ejiro Evero, Brian Flores, Sean Desai, and Mike Pettine. However, Sean Desai withdrew from consideration, and Ejiro Evero quickly accepted the Carolina Panthers DC position.

Vikings Defensive Coordinator Search Is Complete

This left the Vikings in a serious predicament. Brian Flores and Mike Pettine were the only two remaining candidates. There was doomposting all over Twitter. Fans were upset that the Vikings lost out on Desai and Evero.

Vikings Defensive Coordinator
Brian Flores was fired after leading the Dolphins to two consecutive winning seasons. Syndication Palm Beach Post

Well, we fans can now sit back and relax for a minute. Brian Flores is an excellent hire and was one of the best options the entire time.

Best yet, we do not need to find out what a defense with Mike Pettine would have looked like in Minnesota.

Mike Pettine currently holds a prominent position on the team and consulted on defensive schemes. However, during his most recent stint as a DC in Green Bay, his tenure ended with a firing and Packer fans praising his departure.

This would not necessarily be a sign of things to come if Pettine was the DC in Minnesota.

Vikings Interview 4th
Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine is shown Monday, August 24, 2020 during the team’s training camp at Ray Nitschke Field. © Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC.

Although, we do not need to imagine this outcome any longer. However, we can ask questions about what will come with Flores at the helm of the defense. One of those is, what is he going to do with the current roster?

Obviously, he doesn’t have a ton of say over the roster in general. Although, he will undoubtedly be in the room with KOC and KAM as they discuss team building this offseason. Flores accepted the position knowing he would inherit a roster that includes:

  • Harrison Smith – 33
  • Eric Kendricks – 30
  • Jordan Hicks – 30
  • Za’Darius Smith – 30
  • 3 cornerbacks on the roster with a history of injuries

While all these guys can still play, they are aging, not budding, stars.

With the reality of the roster, what can we expect from Brian Flores?

The new Vikings Defensive Coordinator will Bring the Pressure

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

As a former head coach, Brian Flores is well aware of how to build a team. He was quite successful in Miami, given the talent he had there. It seems he can get more out of his players than their talent would suggest.

With that type of resume, it seems he is exactly the guy the Vikings needed. Currently, the Vikings have several aging players that appear to be losing some burst with their age and a few young guns who have shown some fight.

Although, too many poor draft outcomes have left the team with a massive gap. They just don’t have that many in-between guys. By this, I mean the guys with 3-5 years of experience who are not necessarily superstars but good enough.

This leaves some serious work to be done this offseason, from free agency to the draft to teaching.

What's the Vikings Biggest Strength and Weakness?
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports,

The Vikings will need to clear some cap space and work to sign a veteran cornerback and interior defensive lineman — then hope they can hit on the limited draft picks they have left in 2023. Although, this year appears to be a very deep cornerback class.

The best thing the Vikings have going for them is that Brian Flores is an excellent teacher. His ability to teach and develop will be key for the young players on this roster. The Vikings will need to lean heavily into this skill set.

When it comes time to actually play games in September, Brian Flores will hopefully shine. He loves to bring pressure and did so effectively in Miami. That was clearly lacking throughout the 2022 season and will be needed to protect the young Viking cornerbacks.


Mitch Massman is a lifelong Vikings fan. His first heartbreak was the 1998 NFC championship game. His full-time job is as an economic development professional in rural Minnesota. He fantasizes about the Vikings winning a Super Bowl one day, but until then he will write about the Vikings. Follow him on Twitter @skol_vikings3

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