EAGAN, Minn. — Brian Flores’ personality may be the most underrated aspect of his success as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator. His aggressive and confident disposition leaves his players and staffers no choice but to believe his defense will work.
The fact that his unit has been so good over the last two seasons almost breaks the brain — especially when you account for the reality that none of this year’s 11 starters were drafted in the last three years. Holdovers from the previous regime (Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus, to name a few) paired with a handful of newcomers (Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, etc.) to produce an aggressive and adaptive unit that, in many ways, carried the Vikings to a remarkable 14-3 record.
Flores’ defense ranked third in the NFL in DVOA, a metric factoring in strength of schedule. The Vikings also finished third in the league in EPA per play and fifth in defensive success rate. What would Minnesota have accomplished if it weren’t for the defense generating an NFL-high 33 turnovers? (By comparison, the Vikings offense completed the season 15th in DVOA, and their special teams was 28th.)
Minnesota’s blitz-happy scheme stressed pass-protection units. The varied coverages caused headaches for quarterbacks. A collection of lesser-paid defensive tackles formed one of the best run-stopping fronts in the NFL. Flores is behind so much of this. He offered visions to prospective free agents he thought would fit. He orchestrated game plans. He established defensive priorities. But maybe most important was how much his presence made his players feel undeniable.
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— Defensive personnel plans
— Brian Flores’ future
— Interior OL revamp
— Run game thoughts
— J.J. McCarthy
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— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) January 15, 2025
Losing him to a head-coaching position would leave a major void, and it is a possibility. According to The Athletic’s Mike Silver, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and New York Jets have requested an interview with Flores for their vacancies. The Las Vegas Raiders are also expected to be interested.
“It’s an honor,” Flores said last week regarding the interview requests. “I look forward to having those conversations and talking to people about my football journey, my leadership journey.”
Meanwhile, the Vikings’ to-do list is long. The team’s future at quarterback is the headline, but there are plenty more fixes to make. Minnesota must reconfigure the interior of its offensive line; decide whether to bring back running back Aaron Jones; outline its plans at cornerback with Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin entering free agency; and assess the safety position with Bynum hitting the open market and Smith mulling whether to return for another season. And that’s just the starting point.
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Flores departing would toss an even bigger wrench in the team’s plans. Who would the Vikings replace him with? How would the previously acquired defensive players’ skills fit into the new coordinator’s system? Which staffers might he take with him? And, maybe most importantly, what would the absence of his temperament do to a team that’s already due for what could be a sizable makeover?
“When you’ve played as long as I have,” Smith said Monday night, “you don’t feel great every day. But playing, especially this year in this defense, was some of the most fun I’ve had. And that starts with Flo.”
When head coach Kevin O’Connell fired Ed Donatell after the 2022 season, he sought a defensive coordinator who had proven he could teach a defensive system and identify the right talent for that scheme. If Flores were to leave, O’Connell would likely prioritize similar characteristics.
That’s where elevating a current defensive staffer could become an interesting proposition. Defensive backs coach and passing-game coordinator Daronte Jones called plays in the preseason and as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2021. Linebackers coach Mike Siravo has not been a defensive coordinator, but he, too, was handed the primary headset last preseason.
Both men would likely run a scheme similar to Flores’, but we now return to the topic of personality. So much of Flores’ approach is about who he is and how he presents himself to the players. Following the Week 17 game against the Packers, during which the Vikings played nearly 50 percent man coverage, Gilmore said, “Flo watches the tape. He knows what we should do, and we do it.”
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If the Vikings find themselves in the defensive coordinator market, there are some intriguing external options. Brandon Staley, an assistant head coach with the San Francisco 49ers, is one of O’Connell’s closest friends in the business. Wink Martindale, the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan, was an option for O’Connell before the 2022 season. Other interesting names include former Jets coach Robert Saleh, former Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, long-time Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Denver Broncos defensive pass-game coordinator Jim Leonhard.
These candidates all come from different schools of thought — some more similar to what Flores has done than others — and would have different approaches to stamping their own identity on the defense. The Vikings’ competition for these hirings complicates matters, too: San Francisco, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Indianapolis and New England are already seeking defensive coordinators. The teams seeking new head coaches will soon join the teams vying for the premium options.
There is also the funnel-down effect. Would Flores take staffers like Jones, safeties coach Michael Hutchings and quality-control coach Lance Bennett with him? And if so, who would coach the defensive backs? Would the new defensive coordinator prioritize different characteristics in players, and how would the scouting department and front office adapt with free agency and the draft approaching? Would impending free agents like Smith and Murphy make their decisions based on the lack of continuity?
None of these questions are fun to ask, but they’re one hire away from being relevant in an important offseason for Minnesota.
(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)