Vikings Rumors Circle around Brian Flores’ Future, a LB in the Draft, Eric Kendricks
The Minnesota Vikings have one game left in the 2025 campaign, a home date with the Green Bay Packers, where the purple team could potentially spoil Green Bay’s playoff seeding. In the meantime, the rumor mill persists, especially with the offseason about one week away.
Three separate threads are starting to converge for Minnesota — a contract decision on defense, a premium pick draft debate, and a veteran linebacker resurfacing at the exact time teams get serious about January.
Here’s a peek at the first batch of Vikings rumors for the weekend.
Three Vikings-Themed Rumors Pick Up Momentum
It’s the Purple Rumor Mill for December 27th, 2025.
Rumor: The Vikings indeed want Flores back in 2026.
Minnesota’s interest in keeping Brian Flores for a fourth season is no longer just assumed. It’s now explicit per the who’s who of NFL reporting. NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero reported late last week that the Vikings are actively hoping to retain Flores, whose contract expires after the season.
He wrote, “Vikings have experienced a mess of injuries — including to quarterback J.J. McCarthy, whose development was a priority after he missed his entire rookie season because of meniscus surgery. (McCarthy has played better in recent weeks and now is 4-4 as the starter.)”
“Minnesota has many decisions to make this offseason with an expensive, veteran roster. Another issue to address: Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ contract is up after the season. The Vikings hope to work out a deal to retain him.”
The timing here matters. For nearly a year, there had been no visible momentum toward an extension — no leaks, no reporting, no urgency — despite Flores steering a defense through constant injury churn. That silence fueled the assumption that Minnesota was content to let the situation play out.
The most logical explanation has always been Flores himself. He still wants another head coaching gig. His Miami tenure ended controversially after the 2021 season, followed by failed interview processes in New York and Denver and an ongoing lawsuit against the league. He drew interest during last year’s hiring cycle, even if it didn’t materialize into an offer.
If Flores is positioning himself for another shot at the top job, the lack of an extension tracks. If not, waiting this long never really made sense.
But we now know that Minnesota wants him back. Why wouldn’t it?
Rumor: Minnesota could use its 1st-Round pick on an off-ball linebacker.
With the 15th pick following a Week 16 win over the New York Giants, CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards slotted linebacker Barrett Styles to Minnesota in his latest mock draft.
He noted, “Minnesota isn’t a linebacker away from contention, but it remains a clear point of weakness on the roster. Styles has been fantastic for the defending national champions this season.”
“The Vikings also need to start turning draft picks into production, as many of their key contributors were either selected by the previous regime or acquired via free agency.”
Elsewhere in the mock, two other familiar names for Minnesota landed early. Ohio State Caleb Downs went fourth overall to the New York Jets, while Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love came off the board at No. 12 to the Kansas City Chiefs. LSU Cornerback Mansoor Delane followed shortly after, heading to Carolina at No. 19.
Minnesota will enter the 2026 offseason with no shortage of needs, largely because Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first four draft classes have yet to produce even league average returns. Inside linebacker is on the list, but it’s far from alone. Cornerback, safety, center, running back, and possibly defensive tackle all loom larger in terms of urgency.
A true difference-maker at linebacker would help, no question. But history — and roster math — still apply. Productive off-ball linebackers can routinely be found outside Round 1. Spending a premium pick at the position is typically a luxury move made by stable rosters. That’s not where the Vikings are right now.
Rumor: Eric Kendricks saw regular season action with the 49ers, his first of 2025.
Roughly four hours before kickoff against Indianapolis on Monday Night Football, Kendricks’ name reentered the picture. San Francisco elevated the veteran linebacker to the active roster, a move that immediately drew some attention, given both timing and Kendricks’ former All-Pro reputation.
CBS Sports reported, “Eric Kendricks was elevated from the 49ers’ practice squad to the active roster Monday. The 33-year-old joined the 49ers’ practice squad in late November and is now in line to make his first appearance of the 2025 season during Monday night’s matchup against the Colts.”
“Kendricks last played for the Cowboys in 2024, recording 138 total tackles, including 3.0 sacks, three passes defensed, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles over 15 contests. Now with San Francisco’s active roster, Kendricks is expected to operate as one of the team’s top inside linebackers.”
The move mattered because Kendricks hadn’t logged a single snap this season — not in San Francisco, not anywhere. Elevating him this week, with the playoffs less than three weeks away, signals urgency and trust. Teams don’t make that kind of decision lightly this late in the year.
Kendricks wound up playing 10 defensive snaps in the 49ers’ win over the Colts, perhaps a preview of upcoming usage in the playoffs.
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