This Is the Final Year of Brian Flores, Right?
The Minnesota Vikings enter a second season under Brian Flores, which means their defense has another opportunity to grow. After being certifiably terrible under Ed Donatell, the group has made strides. What happens in year two?
This Is the Final Year of Brian Flores, Right?
It was somewhat surprising that the Minnesota Vikings didn’t lose Brian Flores this offseason, but it would be even more shocking if it didn’t happen in year two. While Donatell struggled to advance the group while at the helm and ultimately held the team back during the 2022 season, the same can not be said for Flores.
Kevin O’Connell is breaking in a new quarterback during the 2024 season, whether it’s Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy. The success of either will be important, but the storyline will be the level to which the defense can keep the team in games. The cornerback group remains a massive question mark, and how the edge rushers turn over as a whole new entity remains to be seen. The key cog in all of it, though, is the coordinator.
Flores has been a head coach, and regardless of the amount the Minnesota Vikings pay him, the prestige will never be there in his current role. Ultimately, he will seek a pay and prestige increase, and the step forward this season could warrant that.
It was curious that the offseason coaching carousel didn’t focus more on Flores. It could have been due to his time with the Dolphins and the fallout from that, but the further he distances himself, the better. Another year of production in a role he is destined for makes him that much greater of a candidate.
The hope for the Vikings would be that their big-name coordinator could help supplement a change at the quarterback position. If he can accomplish that, and Minnesota goes above .500, the defense will be largely to thank for the turnaround. That falls in one man’s lap, and he should be expected to be compensated for the output.
Minnesota needs to embrace Brian Flores’ greatness as the defensive coordinator because there’s a very logical path to it not being a thing less than a year from now.
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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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