Questions Answered: Brian Flores’ Next Stop, Trey Smith, Super Bowl Matchup
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the January 22nd edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: Brian Flores’ Next Stop, Trey Smith, Super Bowl Matchup
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: After the Jaguars fired general manager Trent Baalke, does that mean they could reverse course and end up hiring Brian Flores?
Answer: Yes, the Baalke termination resurrected Flores’ head coaching hopes, which were on life support after the New York Jets hired Aaron Glenn.
All teams that interviewed Flores appeared to be hiring other candidates or trending in the opposite direction — until Jacksonville made unexpected news. Previously, the Jaguars had ventured into Round 2 of the coaching search without Flores.
One must surmise that anything is possible now in Jacksonville’s pursuit of a new head coach. And, yes, that drags Flores back in.
It’s worth noting that the Vikings will receive two 2026 compensatory draft picks if Flores earns a head coaching job, probably in the mid-round range.
Q: Is expecting the Vikings to make a free-agent push for Trey Smith reasonable?
Answer: Absolutely. The Vikings have the NFL’s seventh-most cap space, checking in around $60 million before they re-sign in-house free agents.
Smith will probably cost about $20 million per season, but recent history has shown Minnesota can’t rely on the draft to solve the OG problem. Ed Ingram can attest.
A bidding war may emerge for Smith’s services, but unlike years past when Kirk Cousins’ contract disqualified the Vikings from such events, Minnesota can, indeed, go after Smith.
You might even expect Minnesota to do it.
Q: Who do you think will win the Conference Championships this Sunday?
Answer: The Chiefs and Eagles.
We’re not going to overthink this one. It’s silly to pick against the Chiefs until they prove they can lose in the postseason. Plus, they’re at home.
On the Eagles, well, history shows that teams led by rookie quarterbacks, like the Commanders, usually falter before the Super Bowl. So, as a matter of prediction, choosing the Eagles is a safer play.
We say a Super Bowl rematch between Kansas City and Philadelphia. Kansas City will three-peat.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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