Daronte Jones - defensive backs
Mike Smith - outside linebackers/pass rush specialist
Ben Kotwica - assistant special teams
Daronte Jones is a familiar name as he was the Vikings defensive backs coach in 2020. I was selfishly disappointed when he left Minnesota after a single season for the defensive coordinator job at LSU. He lost that job when the school fired Ed Ogeron and hired Brian Kelly. I’m happy that Jones has returned to the Vikings.
When it was reported last week that Mike Smith was leaving the Green Bay Packers for opportunities elsewhere, I was curious if those opportunities might be with the Vikings. Perhaps it was due to his connections with current Vikings assistant head coach Mike Pettine. From the continued troublesome play of Za’Darius and Preston Smith to the emergence of Rashan Gary, it appears that Smith had a positive impact on the Packers outside linebackers.
Matt Daniels was hired as the Vikings special teams coordinator this weekend. He’s assisted with special teams since 2018. Ben Kotwica has been coaching NFL special teams since 2007. He’s been a special teams coordinator for four teams over the past nine seasons. That’s an enormous experience disparity between the Vikings new special teams coordinator and his assistant. It’s actually a luxury to have a coach with a lot of coordinating experience available to assist a first-time coordinator. Kotwica’s last year coaching in Washington was Kevin O’Connell’s first year. So there’s some familiarity there.
The coaches, so far:
Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell
Assistant Head Coach: Mike Pettine
Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips
Defensive Coordinator: Ed Donatell
Special Teams Coordinator: Matt Daniels
Quarterbacks: Chris O’Hara
Assistant Quarterbacks: Jerrod Johnson
Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs: Curtis Modkins
Receivers: Keenan McCardell
Pass Game Coodinator/Tight Ends: Brian Angelichio
Offensive Line: Chris Kuper
Assistant Offensive Line: Justin Rascati
Defensive Line: Chris Rumph
Outside Linebackers/Pass Rush Specialist: Mike Smith
Defensive Backs: Daronte Jones
Assistant Special Teams: Ben Kotwica
The number of coaches that a team employs can be a very varied thing. I believe that the Vikings still have the following openings.
Assistant Defensive Line
Inside Linebackers
Assistant Defensive Backs
Offensive Quality Control
Defensive Quality Control
I can’t imagine any vacancies remaining vacant beyond this week. There’s so much work to do that O’Connell and crew have to get past the coaching searches and interviews.
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