Vikings Benefit from Other Franchise’s Decisions
Ted Schwerzler
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The Minnesota Vikings are set to get a lot busier in the coming days as they kick off the NFL Draft and start to embark on voluntary workouts. This offseason has seen a significant amount of change take place on the roster, but one notable change that didn’t happen is from the defensive coordinator position.
Vikings Benefit from Other Franchise’s Decisions
After the abomination that was Ed Donatell as Kevin O’Connell’s first defensive coordinator, Brian Flores’s come-up last season was nothing short of a miracle. Despite still employing plenty of players worthy of replacement, Minnesota saw the defense take measurable steps forward and become something of a respectable unit.
Flores has long been among the most respected defensive minds in football, and because of that notion, he was able to land a head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins. Obviously, that went downhill nearly immediately and through almost no fault of his own. Even while litigating through that mess with the league, it stands to reason he would be a hot commodity once again.
This offseason, though, we didn’t see Flores jet for greener pastures, and no head coaching jobs came to fruition. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he commented on the state of those affairs.
It is beyond surprising that Flores received no head coaching interest, but NFL owners are largely a locked-in group. Having burned some bridges in Miami after being unfairly handled, it’s not entirely shocking that other organizations would simply stay away from him. Be that as it may, they definitely stand to lose by hiring lesser qualified candidates, and Minnesota benefits by keeping continuity on the defensive side of the ball.
This offseason, the front office had to replace multiple vital departures. With Kirk Cousins vacating a vast amount of money under the salary cap, the Vikings had ample room to spend through free agency. Needing to replace Danielle Hunter and bringing back hometown star Blake Cashman, there are new faces that should immediately make an impact in the year ahead.
Flores will get the opportunity to coach this group once again, and it will be in his image that he can construct an outfit that can compete.
The Vikings will take their lumps at the quarterback position while trying to sort through development and their future, but the defense should be ready to carry the load. Flores will demand that of them, and he should also be expected to get it from them.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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