Flea Flicker Top 50 Free Agents

It’s a little early to start ranking the players that will be on the open market this offseason. NFL free agency is still over two weeks away. Franchise tags and signings will thin out the following players. So, here’s a ranking of the Top 50 players that might be available when free agency opens on March 15.

1.   Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

2.   Daron Payne, DT, Washington Commanders

3.   Javon Hargrave, DT, Philadelphia Eagles 

4.   Jessie Bates III, S, Cincinnati Bengals

5.   Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

6.   Orlando Brown, OT, Kansas City Chiefs

7.   Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

8.   James Bradberry, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

9.   Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders

10. Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

11. Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Buffalo Bills

12. Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants

13. Jawaan Taylor, OT, Jacksonville Jaguars

14. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DB, Philadelphia Eagles

15. David Long Jr., LB, Tennessee Titans

16. Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks

17. Bobby Wagner, LB, Los Angeles Rams

18. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Minnesota Vikings

19. Marcus Davenport, Edge, New Orleans Saints

20. Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

21. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys

22. Mike McGlinchey, OT, San Francisco 49ers

23. Dre’Mont Jones, DT, Denver Broncos

24. Cameron Sutton, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers 

25. Kaleb McGary, OT, Atlanta Falcons

26. Jordan Poyer, S, Buffalo Bills

27. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers

28. Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots

29. Zach Allen, DT, Arizona Cardinals

30. Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

31. Isaac Seumalo, G, Philadelphia Eagles

32. Isaiah Wynn, OT, New England Patriots

33. Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys

34. Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans

35. Patrick Peterson, CB, Minnesota Vikings

36. Yannick Ngakoue, Edge, Indianapolis Colts

37, Germaine Pratt, LB, Cincinnati Bengals

38. Vonn Bell, S, Cincinnati Bengals 

39. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, NA

40. Marcus Peters, CB, Baltimore Ravens

41. David Onyemata, DT, New Orleans Saints

42. Garrett Bradbury, C, Minnesota Vikings

43. Bobby Okereke, LB, Indianapolis Colts

44. A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Los Angeles Rams 

45. Ethan Pocic, C, Cleveland Browns

46. Nate Davis, G, Tennessee Titans

47. Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

48. Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins 

49. Jimmie Ward, DB, San Francisco 49ers

50. T.J. Edwards, LB, Philadelphia Eagles 

The frenzy of free agency will unofficially start when the “legal tampering” window opens on March 13. The signings officially start on March 15. 

A Brief History of the Scouting Combine

The Scouting Combine has become an oddly big, televised event on the NFL’s offseason schedule. For younger fans that’s all they’ve known of the event. It wasn’t always like that. It used to be a very secret thing. There were no cameras and no news. It was as if draft prospects and team decision-makers disappeared into a black hole for a few days. That was a very different time. This is a brief look into the origins of the Scouting Combine. 

Thanks to then Philadelphia Eagles owner Bert Bell, the NFL Draft was introduced in 1936. At the time, all of the best college prospects gravitated to the league’s best teams. The Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and New York Giants annually re-stocked and played for championships. The rest of the league’s teams collected scraps and hoped for the best. Today’s college football isn’t much different from the NFL’s pre-draft days. There had to be a better way of spreading the football talent more evenly and more fairly across the league. Bell suggested the draft. George Halas, Curly Lambeau, and Tim Mara reluctantly agreed. For the first few decades, scouting for the draft was an afterthought. Today’s average fantasy football participant takes part in their drafts far more prepared than those NFL team decision-makers did for their real drafts. Coaches and owners would show up to the draft and just randomly pluck names out of a college football magazine. Maybe a few of them had hot tips from friends in the college coaching ranks. There were no scouts. The first true scouts didn’t appear until the late 1940s and 1950s. Ed Kotal is generally regarded as the first person in league history to travel, watch, and evaluate college football talent. He helped build the Los Angeles Rams into an annual contender and league champion in 1951. Dick Gallagher and Sarge MacKenzie helped stock the powerful Cleveland Browns. A little later, Jack Vainisi built the Green Bay Packers team that Vince Lombardi took to ridiculous heights in the 1960s. 

It’s difficult to imagine a time when football scouting was an afterthought. One of the hardships of football scouting, especially thorough scouting, is the size of this country and the number of colleges, at all levels, that pepper it. To cover it all seems impossible. With hundreds of colleges to visit and thousands of players to see and limited resources to cover them, NFL teams started to enter into partnerships to share the costs and labor. Imagine that. NFL teams working together, sharing resources and information in an effort to get better. It’s inconceivable. Two of these partnerships began in 1963. One was the Lions, Steelers, Eagles Talent Organization, LESTO. The Bears joined in 1964 and LESTO magically became BLESTO. The Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, and St. Louis Cardinals formed National Football Scouting (NFS). In 1964, the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and expansion New Orleans Saints formed a partnership that would come to be known as Quadra Scouting. The Minnesota Vikings joined BLESTO in 1966. Jerry Reichow insisted the team join as a condition of his becoming the team’s director of scouting. The Vikings are still with BLESTO and Mitch Johnson-Martin is the team’s BLESTO scout. All of the NFL teams were part of some scouting partnership during the 1960s. 

Prior to the 1970s, NFL teams didn’t typically give physical exams to draft prospects. Medically, the teams had little to no knowledge of the players that they were selecting. During the 1970s, that started to change as teams scheduled individual visits with draft prospects to check them out physically and medically. In both time and money, it was a very costly process. As with most NFL business from the 1960-89, Dallas Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm was in the middle of change. He proposed to the league’s Competition Committee holding a centralized event at which evaluations of the draft prospects could take place. In 1982, National Football Scouting, which had expanded to 16 teams, held the first National Invitational Camp (NIC) in Tampa. This camp formed the foundation of all those that followed. BLESTO and Quadra held their own camps. 

From 1982-84, BLESTO, NFS, and Quadra held separate camps. To share costs, they decided to merge in 1985. They decided to COMBINE. This merging of the three scouting organizations is why the Scouting Combine is called the Scouting Combine. The first Scouting Combine was held in Phoenix. The second was held in New Orleans. In 1987, the event was moved to it’s, so far, permanent home, Indianapolis. This is the home city of NFS so it’s nice and convenient for them. 

The Scouting Combine did not allow media coverage for nearly two decades. It was a very secret event. It was secret to the extent of being somewhat suspicious. It was definitely mysterious. Everything changed in 2003 when the NFL launched their own television channel, NFL Network. The 2004 Scouting Combine was the first to be revealed to the public. With each year, the television production and coverage has gotten bigger. Now, it’s a prime time event. The evolution from a very secret event to a very public event has been astonishing. It’s gotten to the point where the actual work being done in Indianapolis is secondary to the coverage of it. 

A Couple More Minnesota Vikings Mock Drafts

These mock draft simulators make it too damn easy to whip out mock drafts. The two Minnesota Vikings mock drafts that follow are crafted from PFF’s simulator. It’s too easy. And it’s addicting.

Mock Draft #1

Round 1 (#23)

Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson

Round 3 (#87)

Nathaniel Dell, WR, Houston

Round 4 (#119)

Karl Brooks, DL, Bowling Green

Round 5 (#160)

Colby Wooden, Edge, Auburn

Round 5 (#177)

Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane

I don’t like coming out of the draft without a cornerback. I just liked the above players more than the corners available at those spots. Bryan Bresee, in particular, was a surprise at #23. I couldn’t pass on him. Unless the Vikings grab a starting cornerback in free agency, not picking one in the real draft would be a mistake. 

I usually refuse to throw trades into mock drafts. There’s enough uncertainty in these things. Why add more? Again, these simulators make things so easy. Why not give the trade route a whirl?

Mock Draft #2

I traded the Vikings #23 pick to the Houston Texans for picks #33 and #65. PFF gave the trade a B. I give it an A.

Round 2 (#33)

Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

Round 3 (#65)

Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State

Round 3 (#87)

Nathaniel Dell, WR, Houston

Round 4 (#119)

Karl Brooks, DL, Bowling Green

Round 5 (#160)

Michael Wilson, WR, Stanford

Round 5 (#177)

Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia

I’m starting to develop some draft crushes. Deonte Banks and Daiyan Henley are two of them. Nathaniel Dell is becoming another. The itty bitty receiver out of Houston would juice up the Vikings offense and special teams. I also seem to be drafting Karl Brooks in nearly every one of these damn simulated mocks.

Until the next one.

Minnesota Vikings Add A Couple Coaches

In advance of next week’s Scouting Combine, the Minnesota Vikings announced the addition of a couple coaches. Mike Siravo will replace Greg Manusky as the inside linebackers coach under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Siravo spent the past three seasons as the linebackers coach and run game coordinator of the Carolina Panthers. The Vikings also hired Lance Bennett as defensive quality control coach. 

Both new coaches have connections to Flores. Bennett’s connection is quite close. They went to high school together in Brooklyn and have remained tight. While the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Flores hired Bennett as his “personal assistant and right-hand man.” Now, he’s returned to that role with the Vikings. Former Dolphins center Daniel Kilgore referred to Bennett as the good angel to counter Flores’ bad angel. Interesting. Siravo’s connection to Flores is more distant. Both shared a brief time, one year, at Boston College. Flores as a player. Siravo as a graduate assistant. It’s actually a surprise Siravo didn’t follow Matt Ruhle to Nebraska. Nearly all of his 20 coaching years have been with the new Cornhuskers head coach. 

The Vikings coaching moves weren’t all additions. There was one promotion within the team. Grant Udinski will replace Jerrod Johnson as the assistant quarterbacks coach. Johnson was hired to coach the quarterbacks of the Houston Texans. Udinski spent last season as the assistant to head coach Kevin O’Connell/special projects. He’s the mystery man of the Vikings coaching staff as he’s yet have a picture on the team website. 

The Vikings have three remaining coaching vacancies. 

-assistant defensive line

-assistant linebackers

-assistant special teams

There may be a fourth vacancy if O’Connell is looking for a coach to replace Udinski as his assistant/special projects. 

Minnesota Vikings Current Coaching Staff

Nearly every NFL team experiences annual turnover on their coaching staff. The degree of that turnover is often determined by the success or lack of success of the previous season. Despite an overall successful season, the Minnesota Vikings defense was terrible last season. That resulted in the firing of defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. Brian Flores was hired to fix the defense and everything now feels beautiful surrounding the Vikings. Other than the switch at defensive coordinator, the team has experienced some of the usual coaching churn.

-assistant QB coach Jerrod Johnson left to become QB coach of the Houston Texans

-assistant DL coach A’Lique Terry left to become the OL coach at Oregon

-assistant ST coach Ben Kotwica left to become ST coordinator of the Denver Broncos

-assistant LB coach Sam Siefkes left to become LB coach of the Arizona Cardinals

-inside LB coach Greg Manusky left to become the LB coach of the Denver Broncos

The Vikings have some assistant coaching vacancies. I’m curious to see if an assistant QB coach will be hired to to replace Jerrod Johnson. I feel like he was hired last year because of the opportunity to do so. He’s a young, promising coach that’s starting what should be a quick rise through the coaching profession. I was hoping that he’d stick around for a couple years. Unless QB coach Chris O’Hara left for opportunities elsewhere, that was a long shot. 

One would think that Brian Flores would bring in some coaches to assist him. So far, that hasn’t happened. At least, it hasn’t been announced. He does need a LB coach, or two, to replace Greg Manusky and possibly Sam Siefkes and an assistant DL coach to replace A’Lique Terry.  

Here’s the Vikings current coaching staff. 

2023 Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff (so far)

Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell

Assistant Head Coach: Mike Pettine

Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips

Defensive Coordinator: Brian Flores

Special Teams Coordinator: Matt Daniels

Offense:

Quarterbacks: Chris O’Hara

Assistant Quarterbacks: ?

Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs: Curtis Modkins

Receivers: Keenan McCardell

Assistant Receivers/Quality Control: Tony Sorrentino

Pass Game Coodinator/Tight Ends: Brian Angelichio

Offensive Line: Chris Kuper

Assistant Offensive Line: Justin Rascati

Pass Game Specialist/Game Management Coordinator: Ryan Cordell

Quality Control: Derron Montgomery

Assistant to the Head Coach/Special Projects: Grant Udinski

Defense:

Defensive Line: Chris Rumph

Assistant Defensive Line: ?

Outside Linebackers/Pass Rush Specialist: Mike Smith

Inside Linebackers: ?

Assistant Linebackers: ?

Defensive Backs: Daronte Jones

Assistant Defensive Backs: Roy Anderson

Quality Control: Steve Donatell

Special Teams:

Assistant Special Teams: ?

Minnesota Vikings 5-Round Mock Draft

The Minnesota Vikings are currently scheduled to wrap up their selections in the 2023 NFL Draft by the end of the fifth round. They have no picks in the sixth or seventh rounds. They currently have only four picks. Four picks. That’s it. 

Round 1 (#23)

Round 3 (#87)

Round 4 (#116)

Round 5 (#155)

It’s expected that the Vikings will be awarded a fifth-round compensatory pick as a result of a net loss in last year’s free agency. For now, they have only the above four picks. Here’s a guess of those four picks. 

Round 1 (#23)

Keion White, Edge, Georgia Tech

Round 3 (#87)

Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State

Round 4 (#116)

Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee 

Round 5 (#155)

Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State

I think the Vikings need more than four (or five) picks to cover all that they need from this draft. In his first draft, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made a bunch of draft day trades. I expect more of the same this year. 

It’s Tagging Time

The window for teams to apply the franchise tag to one of their pending free agents opened yesterday. The window will remain open until March 7. The franchise tag is one of the oldest and last means for teams to restrict the movement of their players. Last year, seven teams took advantage of the franchise tag.

Cincinnati Bengals: Jesse Bates, S, $12.9111 million

Cleveland Browns: David Njoku, TE, $10, 931 million

Dallas Cowboys: Dalton Schultz, TE, $10.931 million

Green Bay Packers: Davante Adams, WR, $20.415 million

Jacksonville Jaguars: Cam Robinson, OT, $16.662 million

Kansas City Chiefs: Orlando Brown, OT, $16.662 million

Miami Dolphins: Mike Gesicki, TE: $10.931 million

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chris Godwin, WR: $19.179 million

David Njoku, Cam Robinson, and Chris Godwin wound up signing long-term extensions. Davante Adams signed a long-term extension after being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Jesse Bates, Dalton Schultz, Orlando Brown, and Mike Gesicki played the 2022 season on the tag. 

This year, a couple of the top candidates to be tagged play the position for which the franchise tag was originally intended. The quarterback. In 1993, with free agency finally inevitable, Pat Bowlen feared that he’d lose John Elway. He feared that loss so much that he refused to support any form of free agency without some mechanism to keep his “franchise” player. The archaic “franchise tag” has survived several CBAs and remains a powerful tool for teams to control player movement. Here are some of this year’s top candidates to have their movement controlled by their current teams. 

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants

Daron Payne, DT, Washington Commanders

Orlando Brown, OT, Kansas City Chiefs

Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

Jordan Poyer, S, Buffalo Bills

Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

The Kansas City Chiefs and Orlando Brown really need to find a table and stay at it until something gets done. A second year on the franchise tag feels inevitable despite a clear a mutual interest in staying together. 

I was hoping that Daron Payne could magically be placed on the Minnesota Vikings 2023 roster, and beyond. It was a dream. It was a beautiful dream. He has yet to be tagged but Payne staying in Washington for at least the coming season feels like a done deal. 

It’s tagging time. 

Flea Flicker Mock Draft 1.0

The confetti has fallen on Super Bowl LVII. The 2022 NFL season is in the books. The order of the 2023 NFL Draft is finally set. Here’s my first stab at a mock draft. 

1.   Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

2.   Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

3.   Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama

4.   Indianapolis Colts: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

5.   Seattle Seahawks (via Denver): Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech

6.   Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

7.   Las Vegas Raiders: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

8.   Atlanta Falcons: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

9.   Carolina Panthers: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

10. Philadelphia Eagles: (via New Orleans): Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson

11. Tennessee Titans: Paris Johnson, Jr., OT, Ohio State

12. Houston Texans (via Cleveland): Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

13. New York Jets: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

14. New England Patriots: Brian Branch, DB, Alabama

15. Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

16. Washington Commanders: Joey Porter, Jr., CB, Penn State

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida

18. Detroit Lions: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

20. Seattle Seahawks: Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

22. Baltimore Ravens: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

23. Minnesota Vikings: Keion White, Edge, Georgia Tech

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

25. New York Giants: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

26. Dallas Cowboys: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

27. Buffalo Bills: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

29. New Orleans Saints (via SF thru Miami): BJ Ojulari, Edge, LSU

30. Philadelphia Eagles: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

Due to dirty deeds, the Miami Dolphins forfeited the 21st pick in the first round pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. So, there will only be 31 picks in the first round. 

All - Time Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster

A couple days ago, I put together an All - Time Coaching Staff. What about the players? Here’s a stab at a roster of the best players in franchise history. 

Minnesota Vikings All-Time 53-Man Roster

Offense

Quarterbacks
Fran Tarkenton
Daunte Culpepper
Kirk Cousins

Halfbacks
Adrian Peterson
Chuck Foreman
Robert Smith

Fullback
Bill Brown

Receivers
Cris Carter
Randy Moss

Justin Jefferson
Ahmad Rashad
Anthony Carter
Adam Thielen 

Tight Ends

Steve Jordan
Kyle Rudolph
Jim Kleinsasser

Tackles
Ron Yary
Gary Zimmerman
Grady Alderman

Guards
Randall McDaniel
Steve Hutchinson
Ed White

Centers
Mick Tingelhoff
Matt Birk

Defense

Defensive Ends
Carl Eller
Chris Doleman
Jim Marshall
Jared Allen

Danielle Hunter

Defensive Tackles
Alan Page
John Randle
Keith Millard
Kevin Williams

Linebackers
Matt Blair

Eric Kendricks

Anthony Barr

Chad Greenway
Scott Studwell
Matt Blair

Cornerbacks
Antoine Winfield
Xavier Rhodes
Carl Lee
Bobby Bryant
Nate Wright

Safeties
Paul Krause
Joey Browner
Harrison Smith
Robert Griffith

Special Teams

Kicker
Ryan Longwell

Punter
Chris Kluwe

Long Snapper
Cullen Loeffler

Kick Returner
Cordarrelle Pattereson

Punt Returner
Marcus Sherels

Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff Shuffle

Good season, bad season, nearly every NFL offseason brings a shuffling of a team’s coaches. The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a very good season. Despite the disappointing end, Kevin O’Connell’s first season as head coach was a successful one. 13-4, NFC North champs. The offense was very good. The defense was very bad. One coaching shuffle was obvious. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell was fired. Other teams that had to fill a coordinator position interviewed a legion of candidates. O’Connell cast a more selective net. The Vikings interviewed only four coaches during their search to replace Donatell. 

Brian Flores

Ryan Nielsen

Sean Desai 

Mike Pettine

The Vikings were reportedly interested in talking to Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. He was hired by the Carolina Panthers before that talk could happen. The Vikings hired Flores. He’s a fantastic addition. The defense should flip from one of the most passive I’ve ever seen to one of the most aggressive. That’s a very pleasant change. Perhaps the only negative to the Flores hiring is that his Minnesota stay could be a short one. That’s actually a good problem to have. Hiring a coach that brings so much success that he’s in demand for a head coach opportunity isn’t such a bad thing. 

Brian Flores was the first and biggest part of this year’s Vikings coaching staff shuffle. Three coaches have departed for “promotions” with other teams.

Jerrod Johnson, assistant QB coach

A’Lique Terry, assistant DL coach

Ben Kotwica, assistant special teams coach

Jerrod Johnson was hired by DeMeco Ryans to coach the quarterbacks of the Houston Texans. This was the most disappointing of the above departures. It was also inevitable. Johnson is going to soar up the coaching ranks. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in the conversation for head coach opportunities in about five years. Unless he bumped QB coach Chris O’Hara off the Vikings coaching staff, there wasn’t room for the promotion in Minnesota that he deserved. A’Lique Terry was hired to coach the offensive line at Oregon. Ben Kotwica was hired by Sean Payton to coach the special teams of the Denver Broncos. Each of the three coaches deserved advancement that they could only get elsewhere. 

With Brian Flores now leading the defense, there is sure to be some departures among the defensive assistants. The first to depart for opportunities elsewhere was inside linebackers coach Greg Manusky. So far, he’s the only departure. I’m curious to see see if Flores brings in Gerald Alexander to coach the secondary in some fashion. At Cal from 2017-19, Alexander coached and taught the Golden Bears defensive backs into one of the best groups in the nation. As head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Flores swiped Alexander from Cal. It was great move for his career. It was a terrible move for Cal’s DBs. Alexander is currently available and be an excellent coaching addition for the Vikings. 

The Vikings currently have three, maybe four, vacancies on the coaching staff.

LB coach

assistant DL

assistant special teams

I believe that the O’Connell and the Vikings created the assistant QB coach position because of the opportunity to hire Jerrod Johnson. I’m curious to see if they hire another assistant QB coach. 

The shuffling continues.

Minnesota Vikings Signings And Free Agents To Be

The frenzy of free agency is just under a month away. In advance of that frenzy, the Minnesota Vikings got some work done. The team signed a couple of their soon-to-be free agents.

Blake Brandel, OT

Khyiris Tonga, DL

Both have fewer than three accrued seasons in the league so both were exclusive rights free agents. As such, they could only negotiate with the Vikings and probably weren’t going anywhere. The team and players decided to get the deals done now. Both signed for a tick under a million. Both played well in 2022 and should be on the roster in 2023. 

Blake Brandel played more in 2022 than anyone expected, or wanted. He closed out the Buffalo Bills game after left tackle Christian Darrisaw departed the game with a concussion. Brandel started the next three games and played well. He suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in one of his knees against the Detroit Lions in December and missed the rest of the regular season. He returned for the playoff game against the New York Giants. 

Khyiris Tonga was one of a few fine in-season additions for the Vikings. He was plucked from the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons in early October. His role in the defensive line rotation increased with each game. By the end of the season, he was significant player in the Vikings defense, even starting the Week 16 win over the Giants. 

Signing Blake Brandel and Khyiris Tonga were the easy pre-free agency work for the Vikings decision-makers. They now have decisions to make on 17 free agents. They are also significantly over the salary cap. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and friends have some work in front of them. Here are the Vikings 17 remaining free agents.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Dalvin Tomlinson, DL

Patrick Peterson, CB

Garrett Bradbury, C

Greg Joseph, K

Nick Mullens, QB

Chandon Sullivan, CB

Irv Smith Jr., TE

Jonathan Bullard, DL

Andrew DePaola, LS

Duke Shelley, CB

Austin Schlottman, C

Alexander Mattison, RB

Olisaemeka Udoh, OT

Kris Boyd, CB

Olabisi Johnson, WR

Restricted Free Agents

Ben Ellefson, TE

Kenny Willekes, DL

It’d be nice to bring back most of the free agents. Starting with Dalvin Tomlinson. He’s probably going to be the most pricey of the bunch. Patrick Peterson is needed as much for his leadership, in what is sure to be a very young cornerback room, as his play on the field. In my opinion, Andrew DePaola and Duke Shelley are the closest to must re-signs. Both should require modest contracts. Considering the Vikings current cap situation, no contract can be considered modest. 

The Vikings have some work to do. Signing Blake Brandel and Khyiris Tonga are a start. 

Minnesota Vikings All - Time Coaching Staff

The Minnesota Vikings recent hiring of Brian Flores to be their next defensive coordinator got me thinking about all of the coaches in the franchise’s history. From those thoughts, I couldn't stop myself from piecing together an All-Time Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff. 

Head Coach
Bud Grant

Offense

Offensive Coordinator
Jerry Burns

Quarterbacks
Norm Van Brocklin

Running Backs
Eric Bienemy

Receivers
Chip Myers

Tight Ends
Brian Billick

Offensive Line
John Michels

Assistant Offensive Line
Mike Tice

Defense

Defensive Coordinator
Mike Zimmer

Defensive Line
Buddy Ryan

Assistant Defensive Line
Andre Patterson

Linebackers
Monte Kiffin

Defensive Backs
Tony Dungy

Assistant Defensive Backs
Pete Carroll

Special Teams

Special Teams Coordinator
Bud Grant

Assistant Special Teams
Gary Zauner

I tried to place each of the coaches in positions that they held with the Vikings. Mike Zimmer didn't hold the title of defensive coordinator but there's no doubt that he coordinated the defense as the head coach. I also demoted the Vikings first head coach to quarterback coach. Norm Van Brocklin never spent a day as an assistant coach. He went straight from NFL MVP to head coach of an expansion team. Fran Tarkenton said that Van Brocklin had a brilliant mind for offensive football. That's good enough for me. Perhaps he'd be better suited as the team's offensive coordinator but I really want Jerry Burns in that position. The emotional range of Van Brocklin and Burns together would be a riot to see. Tony Dungy coordinated the defense for Dennis Green. He was never the Vikings defensive back coach but he gets that job for this team. Picking a special teams coordinator was an issue. The Vikings' special teams during their Super Bowl years were factors in so many games. I've never seen a team block as many kicks and punts as those teams did. I wanted the special teams coach of those teams to be the All-Time coordinator. The problem is that no Vikings coach had that specific title. Entire NFL coaching staffs of that era could fit into the office of one of today’s head coaches. Assistant coaches often had to work with more than a single position group. Bud Grant stressed the importance of special teams. Because the special teams of his teams were so damn special he gets to be the head coach and coordinate the special teams.

From a Vikings perspective, I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing that former assistants Pete Carroll, Tony Dungy, Brian Billick, and Mike Tomlin went on to be Super Bowl-winning head coaches for other teams. Buddy Ryan wasn't the head coach of a Super Bowl-winning but he played a significant role in winning one as a defensive coordinator.

The Vikings offensive explosion in 1998 propelled Brian Billick into a head coaching opportunity with the Baltimore Ravens. Chip Myers coached the receivers from 1994-97 and quarterbacks in 1998. His work with the receivers and juggling of Brad Johnson and Randall Cunningham during the explosive 1998 season made him an easy choice to replace Billick as the Vikings offensive coordinator. About a month after being promoted, Myers died suddenly at the age of 53 of a heart attack. In a sad case of what might have been, I've often wondered what a Chip Myers-led Vikings offense might have looked like. Playmakers like Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Jake Reed, and Robert Smith can make coaching look easy. I thought that the Vikings offense could build on what they did in 1998. Instead, that was their peak. The sad, sudden loss of Myers left a hole on the coaching staff that Dennis Green never could fill.

There weren't enough positions on this coaching staff for all of the terrific coaches that have impacted the Vikings franchise. Here are a few of the former Vikings coaches that deserve mention:

Jack Patera
Neil Armstrong
Bus Mertes
Floyd Peters
John Teerlinck
Paul Wiggin
Mike Tomlin

NFL Offseason Key Dates

The 2022 NFL season is in the books. Now, all teams are looking toward the 2023 NFL season. There’s always something happening in the NFL. Here are the key dates of the offseason that has really already started. 

NFL Offseason Key Dates

Feb. 21 - First day to designate franchise and transition tags

Feb. 28-March 6 - Scouting Combine (Indianapolis, IN)

March 7 - Franchise/transition tag deadline

March 7 - College Pro Days begin

March 13-15 - Negotiation window for pending unrestricted free agents (Tampering Window)

March 15 (4pm ET) - Free agents can be signed, trades can be consummated, June 1 cuts can be designated, and the deadline for qualifying offers to restricted free agents.

March 26-29 - Annual League Meetings (Phoenix, AZ)

April 3 - Teams with new head coaches can begin offseason conditioning programs

April 17 - Remaining teams can begin offseason conditioning programs

April 21 - Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets

April 27-29 - 2023 NFL Draft (Kansas City, MO)

May 1 - Deadline for teams to pick up fifth-year options for 2020 draft class

May 5-8 or 12-15 - Teams can stage rookie minicamps

May/June - Teams can stage OTAs and mandatory minicamps

Late July - Training camps open

NFL Coaching Tracker

There were five head coach vacancies in this year’s NFL hiring cycle. All five have been filled. 

Carolina Panthers: Frank Reich

Denver Broncos: Sean Payton

Houston Texans: DeMeco Ryans

Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen

Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon

The Panthers kicked it all off with the hiring of Frank Reich. He didn’t let being fired by the Colts during last season slow him down. The Broncos and Texans made big headlines when they hired Sean Payton and DeMeco Ryans on the same day. With the Super Bowl in the books, the Colts and Cardinals raided the Philadelphia Eagles of their coordinators. 

Starting with the most significant, here’s a more thorough look at this year’s coach and general manager hirings.

Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator

Hired: Brian Flores, Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach

Also Interviewed:

Sean Desai, Seattle Seahawks associate head coach for defense

Ryan Nielsen, New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator/DL coach

Mike Pettine, Minnesota Vikings assistant head coach

Very interested in but never interviewed:

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Head Coach

Carolina Panthers

Hired: Frank Reich

Interviewed:

Jim Caldwell, former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach

Ken Dorsey, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants defensive coordinator

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots LB coach

Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

Frank Reich, former Indianapolis Colts head coach

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator

Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers interim coach

Denver Broncos

Hired: Sean Payton

Interviewed:

Jim Caldwell, former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Jim Harbaugh, University of Michigan head coach

Raheem Morris, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator 

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

David Shaw, former Stanford head coach

Houston Texans

Hired: DeMeco Ryans

Interviewed:

Thomas Brown, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Jonathan Gannon, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator 

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordin

Arizona Cardinals

Hired: Jonathan Gannon

Interviewed (scheduled/completed):

Lou Anarumo, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator

Brian Callahan, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Brian Flores, Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach

Jonathan Gannon, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator 

Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator 

Vance Joseph, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator

Frank Reich, former Indianapolis Colts head coach

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

Jonathan Gannon, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator

Indianapolis Colts

Hired: Shane Steichen

Interviewed (scheduled/completed):

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator

Rich Bisaccia, Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator

Brian Callahan, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator

Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator

Wink Martindale, New York Giants defensive coordinator 

Raheem Morris, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator 

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator 

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis Colts interim head coach

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator

Bubba Ventrone, Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator 

Offensive Coordinator

New England Patriots

Hired: Bill O’Brien, Alabama offensive coordinator

New York Jets

Hired: Nathaniel Hackett, former Denver Broncos head coach

Los Angeles Chargers

Hired: Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator 

Los Angeles Rams

Hired: Mike LaFleur, former New York Jets offensive coordinator

Tennessee Titans

Hired: Tim Kelly, Tennessee Titans pass game coordinator

Baltimore Ravens

Hired: Todd Monken, University of Georgia offensive coordinator

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Interviewed (scheduled/requested):

Dave Canales, Seattle Seahawks QB coach 

Jim Bob Cooter, Jacksonville Jaguars passing game coordinator

Ronald Curry, New Orleans Saints passing game coordinator/QB coach

Keenan McCardell, Minnesota Vikings WR coach

Klint Kubiak, Denver Broncos passing game coordinator/QB coach

Todd Monken, Georgia offensive coordinator 

Scottie Montgomery, Detroit Lions assistant head coach/RB coach

Dan Pitcher, Cincinnati Bengals QB coach

Shea Tierney, New York Giants QB coach

Thomas Brown, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach

Washington Commanders

Interviewed (scheduled/requested):

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator

Thomas Brown, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach

Charles London, Atlanta Falcons QB coach

Anthony Lynn, San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach/RB coach

Pat Shurmur, former offensive coordinator 

Eric Studesville, Miami Dolphins associate head coach/RB coach

Ken Zampese, Washington Commanders QB coach

Thomas Brown, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach

Defensive Coordinator

Atlanta Falcons

Hired: Ryan Nielsen, New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator

Cleveland Browns

Hired: Jim Schwartz, Tennessee Titans senior defensive assistant

San Francisco 49ers

Hired: Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers interim head coach

New Orleans Saints

Hired: Joe Woods, former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator 

Miami Dolphins

Hired; Vic Fangio, former Denver Broncos head coach

***

The five head coaches hired this cycle are now tasked with hiring assistant coaches. So there are more coordinator jobs open than those listed. Of the original coordinator vacancies, only the offensive coordinator vacancies of the Tampa Buccaneers and Washington Commanders remain. The Buccaneers appear to zeroing in on Seahawks QB coach Dave Canales and Rams assistant head coach/RB coach Thomas Brown. As for the Commanders, the guess here is that they’ll try to hire Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 

Other than the new head coaches hiring their assistants, this year’s coaching churn is winding down. 

2023 NFL Draft Order

With the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, the order of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is now set. 

1.   Chicago Bears

2.   Houston Texans

3.   Arizona Cardinals

4.   Indianapolis Colts 

5.   Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos)

6.   Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams)

7.   Las Vegas Raiders

8.   Atlanta Falcons

9.   Carolina Panthers

10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans Saints)

11. Tennessee Titans

12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns)

13. New York Jets

14. New England Patriots

15. Green Bay Packers

16. Washington Commanders

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

18. Detroit Lions

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

20. Seattle Seahawks 

21. Los Angeles Chargers 

22. Baltimore Ravens

23. Minnesota Vikings

24. Jacksonville Jaguars 

25. New York Giants

26. Dallas Cowboys

27. Buffalo Bills

28. Cincinnati Bengals 

29. Denver Broncos (from San Francisco 49ers through Miami Dolphins)

30. Philadelphia Eagles 

31. Kansas City Chiefs 

There are only 31 picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft because the Dolphins lost their pick for cheating. More accurately, they lost their first round pick for tampering with players and coaches that were under contract with other teams. 

Teams with multiple first round picks:

Houston Texans (2nd and 12th)

Seattle Seahawks (5th and 20th)

Detroit Lions (6th and 18th)

Philadelphia Eagles (10th and 30th)

Teams with no first round picks:

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints 

Cleveland Browns

San Francisco 49ers

Miami Dolphins

Ranking The 57 Super Bowls

Super Bowl LVII is now part of NFL history. Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Philadelphia Eagles join the other 30 teams hoping that next year will be their year. Super Bowl LVII was a fun game. For a game that was decided with a field goal in the final seconds, the final two minutes were fairly anticlimactic. The game was pretty much decided when Eagles corner James Bradberry yanked on the jersey of Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster. That turned fourth down into a first down on the Eagles 11-yard with 1:54 to play. The Chiefs just had to eat up the Eagles final timeout, most of the clock and kick a 27-yard Super Bowl-winning field goal. For 58 minutes, Super Bowl LVII was one of the better Super Bowls. Those minutes were filled with magic from Jalen Hurts and a bit more magic from Patrick Mahomes. It’s a knee-jerk reaction but here’s a ranking of the 57 Super Bowls.

57. Super Bowl IV-Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7

56. Super Bowl VIII-Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7

55. Super Bowl IX-Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6

54. Super Bowl XI-Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14

53. Super Bowl XXIV-San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10

52. Super Bowl XLVIII-Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8

51. Super Bowl XX-Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10

50. Super Bowl XXXV-Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7

49. Super Bowl XXIX-San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

48. Super Bowl XXXVII-Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21

47. Super Bowl XXII-Washington Redskins 42, Denver Broncos 10

46. Super Bowl XXVII-Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

45. Super Bowl XII-Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10

44. Super Bowl XXXIII Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19

43. Super Bowl XVIII Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9

42. Super Bowl XXVI-Washington Redskins 37, Buffalo Bills 24

41. Super Bowl XV-Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10

40. Super Bowl I-Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs 10

39. Super Bowl VI-Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3

38. Super Bowl XL-Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10

37. Super Bowl XLI-Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17

36. Super Bowl II-Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14

35. Super Bowl XIX-San Francisco 49ers, 38, Miami Dolphins 16

34. Super Bowl V-Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13

33. Super Bowl VII-Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7

32. Super Bowl XXVIII-Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13

31. Super Bowl XXI-New York Giants 39, Denver Broncos 20

30. Super Bowl LV-Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Kansas City Chiefs 9
29. Super Bowl XXXI-Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21

28. Super Bowl XXX-Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
27. Super Bowl L-Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10
26. Super Bowl XVII-Washington Redskins 27, Miami Dolphins 17

25. Super Bowl XLIV-New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
24. Super Bowl LIII-New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3
23. Super Bowl XXXIX-New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21

22. Super Bowl XLV-Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25

21. Super Bowl XLVI-New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17

20. Super Bowl XXXII-Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24

19. Super Bowl III-New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7

18. Super Bowl XLVII-Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
17. Super Bowl XXXIV-St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16

16. Super Bowl XVI-San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 21

15. Super Bowl XXXVI-New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

14. Super Bowl XIV-Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19

13. Super Bowl LIV-Kansas City Chiefs 31, San Francisco 49ers 20

12. Super Bowl LVI-Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20

11. Super Bowl LII-Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33
10. Super Bowl X-Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17

  9. Super Bowl XXIII-San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

  8. Super Bowl XXV-New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

  7. Super Bowl XXXVIII-New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

  6. Super Bowl XLII-New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

  5. Super Bowl LVII-Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35
  4. Super Bowl LI-New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
  3. Super Bowl XLIX-New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24
  2. Super Bowl XLIII-Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

  1. Super Bowl XIII-Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31

Flea Flicker Super Bowl LVII Prediction

The 2022 NFL Season will close today with Super Bowl LVII. It’s Philadelphia Eagles vs Kansas City Chiefs. Here’s a guess at which team wins.

Super Bowl LVII

Philadelphia Eagles “@“ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes tames the Eagles defense. 

I can’t wait for a Minnesota Vikings return to this game. It’s been too damn long. They have to win it this time. 

All - Time Final Two Team

Just to pass the time until tomorrow’s Super Bowl, here’s an All-Time Team made up of some of the best players in the franchise histories of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. As the seventh oldest team in the league, the Philadelphia Eagles have the longer history of the two teams. With four NFL titles since 1948, they’ve had a fairly strong history. The Kansas City Chiefs were an original member of the rival American Football League that got started in 1960. They were one of the top teams for the entirety of the “other” league’s existence. Each has a varied, interesting, and successful history. Great players too. Here are some of them.

Offense

Quarterback

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Running Back

Steve Van Buren, Philadelphia Eagles

Fullback

Curtis McClinton, Kansas City Chiefs

Wide Receivers

Tommy McDonald, Philadelphia Eagles

Otis Taylor, Kansas City Chiefs

Tight End

Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs

Tackles

Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles

Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles

Guards

Will Shields, Kansas City Chiefs

Ed Budde, Kansas City Chiefs

Center

Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles 

Defense

Defensive Ends

Reggie White, Philadelphia Eagles

Neil Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

Defensive Tackles

Buck Buchanan, Kansas City Chiefs

Jerome Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

Linebackers

Bobby Bell, Kansas City Chiefs

Willie Lanier, Kansas City Chiefs

Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles

Cornerbacks

Emmitt Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs

Albert Lewis, Kansas City Chiefs

Safeties

Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia Eagles

Johnny Robinson, Kansas City Chiefs

Special Teams

Kicker

Jan Stenerud, Kansas City Chiefs

Punter

Jerrel Wilson, Kansas City Chiefs

Returner

Dante Hall, Kansas City Chiefs

 

NFL Honors

Since 2012, the NFL has handed out each season’s hardware at an annual awards show. NFL Honors. Initially, it was held on the eve of the Super Bowl in the city of the Super Bowl. Last year and now this year, the show was held the Thursday before the big game. The league brings in a celebrity to host the big event.

Alec Baldwin: 2012-14

Seth Meyers: 2015

Conan O’Brien: 2016

Keegan-Michael Key: 2017

Rob Riggle: 2018

Steve Harvey: 2019-21

Keegan-Michael Key: 2022

Kelly Clarkson: 2023

It was a fun event. It always is. It’s fun to see the players in an environment like this. Kelly Clarkson did great as the host. Her “duet” with Kirk Cousins was, of course, a highlight.

The Awards:

AP Offensive Player of the Year: Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

AP Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers

AP Coach of the Year: Brian Daboll, New York Giants

AP Assistant Coach of the Year: DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sauce Gardner

AP Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year: Justin Jefferson’s ridiculous catch against the Bills

AP Most Valuable Player: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Walter Payton Man of the Year: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Salute to Service Award: Ron Rivera, Washington Commanders

Congratulations to all that took home some hardware. Especially Justin Jefferson. 

Perhaps the most anticipated moment of each NFL Honors is the announcement of the next Hall of Fame Class. It’s the most anticipated mostly because it’s the only announcement of the night that carries any surprises. The biggest surprise might be the lack of leaks in the couple weeks since the vote. 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Joe Thomas

Darrelle Revis

DeMarcus Ware

Ronde Barber

Zach Thomas

Chuck Howley

Ken Riley

Joe Klecko

Don Coryell

I was disappointed that Jared Allen missed the Hall for a third time as a finalist. Hall of Fame voter and Vikings beat writer Mark Craig did say that Allen made it to the final cutdown. That might mean that 2024 will bring much better news for Allen and perhaps a Canton visit for me. When I pushed all biases aside, I had to accept that DeMarcus Ware probably deserved to make it before his fellow pass rusher. Ware deserves a bust. Allen deserves a bust. Ware will get his in August. Allen should get his soon. Next year, Julius Peppers joins the Hall of Fame fray. I’m expecting (hoping) both to go in together. Four years more than enough of a wait for Jared Allen.

As for the players and coach that did make it, nine members is a beefy class. It’s also very defense-centric. Only offensive tackle Joe Thomas played offense. After a too long wait, Don Coryell made it for his impact on football’s passing game. The remaining seven all played defense. 

Are we getting the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets in the Hall of Fame game? The league’s decision-makers usually tie the game into those being inducted. There are two Cowboys in the class: Chuck Howley and DeMarcus Ware. There are two Jets: Joe Klecko and Darrelle Revis. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2023. And best of luck to Jared Allen in 2024. I can’t wait to see you in Canton. You were one of the best and deserve to be honored with the best. 

Flea Flicker Top 5 Draft Prospects By Position

With the Minnesota Vikings hiring Brian Flores to be their next defensive coordinator, it’s now time to look toward the offseason. More specifically, it’s time to take a more concentrated look at the prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s draft time. Here’s an early look at the top prospects at each position.

Quarterbacks

1. Bryce Young, Alabama

2. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

3. Will Levis, Kentucky

4. Anthony Richardson, Florida

5. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

Running Backs

1. Bijan Robinson, Texas

2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

3. Tank Bigsby, Auburn

4. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA

5. Tyjae Spears, Tulane

Wide Receivers

1. Jordan Addison, USC

2. Quentin Johnston, TCU

3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

4. Zay Flowers, Boston College

5. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

Tight Ends

1. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

2. Darnell Washington, Georgia

3. Luke Musgrave, Oregon State

4. Dalton Kincaid, Utah

5. Sam LaPorta, Iowa

Offensive Tackles

1. Peter Skoronski. Northwestern

2. Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

3. Broderick Jones, Georgia

4. Anton Harrison, Oklahoma

5. Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse

Interior Offensive Linemen

1. John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota

2. O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida

3. Steve Avila, TCU

4. Cody Mauch, North Dakota State

5. Joe Tippman, Wisconsin

Edge Rushers

1. Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

2. Tyree Wilson, Texas A&M

3. Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

4. Myles Murphy, Clemson

5. Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame

Defensive Tackles

1. Jalen Carter, Georgia

2. Bryan Bresee, Clemson

3. Siaki Ika, Baylor

4. Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin

5. Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh

Linebackers

1. Drew Sanders, Arkansas

2. Trenton Simpson, Clemson

3. DeMarvion Overshown, Texas

4. Jack Campbell, Iowa

5. Noah Sewell, Oregon

Cornerbacks

1. Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

2. Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

3. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State

4. Cam Smith, South Carolina

5. Deonte Banks, Maryland

Safeties

1. Brian Branch, Alabama

2. Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

3. Ronnie Hickman, Ohio State

4. Jartavius Martin, Illinois

5. JL Skinner, Boise State

It’s a start. 

NFL Coaching Tracker

The most important coaching vacancy of this year’s coaching churn was filled on Monday. The Minnesota Vikings hired Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach Brian Flores as their new defensive coordinator. The former Miami Dolphins head coach is tasked with flipping one of the most passive defenses in recent memory to one of the most aggressive. The feeling here is that he succeeds.

As for the rest of the league’s coach hiring cycle, three of this year’s head coach vacancies are filled.

Carolina Panthers - Frank Reich

Houston Texans - DeMeco Ryans

Denver Broncos - Sean Payton

Two remain open.

Arizona Cardinals

Indianapolis Colts

Several offensive and defensive coordinator positions remain open. Most of those will be filled when the Super Bowl coaches become available. Starting with the most important job out there, here’s a look at the coaching tracker of this year’s hiring cycle. 

Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator

Hired:

Brian Flores, Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach

Interviewed:

Sean Desai, Seattle Seahawks associate head coach for defense

Ryan Nielsen, New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator/DL coach

Mike Pettine, Minnesota Vikings assistant head coach

Head Coach

Carolina Panthers

Hired:

Frank Reich

Interviewed:

Jim Caldwell, former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach

Ken Dorsey, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants defensive coordinator

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots LB coach

Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

Frank Reich, former Indianapolis Colts head coach

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator

Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers interim coach

Defensive Coordinator

Hired: 

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator

Denver Broncos

Hired: Sean Payton

Interviewed:

Jim Caldwell, former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Jim Harbaugh, University of Michigan head coach

Raheem Morris, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator 

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

David Shaw, former Stanford head coach

Houston Texans

Hired: DeMeco Ryans

Interviewed:

Thomas Brown, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Jonathan Gannon, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator 

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordin

Arizona Cardinals

Finalists:

Lou Anarumo

Mike Kafka

Interviewed (scheduled/completed):

Lou Anarumo, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator

Brian Callahan, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator 

Brian Flores, Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach

Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator 

Vance Joseph, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator 

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator

Frank Reich, former Indianapolis Colts head coach

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

Indianapolis Colts

Second Interviews:

Jeff Saturday

Rich Bisaccia

Brian Callahan

Raheem Morris

Interviewed (scheduled/completed):

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator

Rich Bisaccia, Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator

Brian Callahan, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator

Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator 

Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator

Wink Martindale, New York Giants defensive coordinator 

Raheem Morris, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator 

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator 

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator 

Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis Colts interim head coach

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator

Bubba Ventrone, Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator 

Offensive Coordinator

New England Patriots

Hired: 

Bill O’Brien, Alabama offensive coordinator

New York Jets

Hired:

Nathaniel Hackett, former Denver Broncos head coach

Los Angeles Chargers

Hired: Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator 

Los Angeles Rams

Hired: Mike LaFleur, former New York Jets offensive coordinator

Tennessee Titans

Hired: 

Tim Kelly, Tennessee Titans pass game coordinator

Baltimore Ravens

Interviewed (scheduled/completed):

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator (requested)

Dave Canales, Seattle Seahawks QB coach

Todd Monken, Georgia offensive coordinator 

Chad O’Shea, Cleveland Browns WR coach/pass game coordinator 

Justin Outten, Denver Broncos offensive coordinator 

Zac Robinson, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Interviewed (scheduled/requested):

Jim Bob Cooter, Jacksonville Jaguars passing game coordinator

Ronald Curry, New Orleans Saints passing game coordinator/QB coach

Keenan McCardell, Minnesota Vikings WR coach

Klint Kubiak, Denver Broncos passing game coordinator

Todd Monken, Georgia offensive coordinator 

Dan Pitcher, Cincinnati Bengals QB coach

Shea Tierney, New York Giants QB coach

Washington Commanders

Interviewed (scheduled/requested):

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator (requested)

Thomas Brown, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach

Charles London, Atlanta Falcons QB coach

Pat Shurmur, former offensive coordinator 

Eric Studesville, Miami Dolphins associate head coach/RB coach

Ken Zampese, Washington Commanders QB coach

Thomas Brown, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach

Defensive Coordinator

Atlanta Falcons

Hired:

Ryan Nielsen, New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator

Cleveland Browns

Hired: 

Jim Schwartz, Tennessee Titans senior defensive assistant

San Francisco 49ers

Hired:

Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers interim head coach

New Orleans Saints

Hired:

Joe Woods, former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator 

Miami Dolphins

Interviewed (scheduled/requested):

Anthony Campanile, Miami Dolphins LB coach

Sean Desai, Seattle Seahawks associate head coach for defense 

Vic Fangio, former Denver Broncos head coach

Kris Richard, New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator/DB coach

Finally

After about a nearly month-long search, the Minnesota Vikings finally have their defensive coordinator. Long-time New England Patriots defensive coach and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores was hired on Monday to revive the Vikings defense. 

After firing Ed Donatell on January 19, the Vikings quickly interviewed four candidates for the job.

Brian Flores - Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach

Sean Desai - Seattle Seahawks associate head coach-defense

Ryan Nielsen - New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator/DL coach

Mike Pettine - Minnesota Vikings assistant head coach

It was fine start. After those initial interviews there was a long pause. During that pause, Ryan Nielsen was hired by the Atlanta Falcons and Sean Desai removed his name from consideration for the job. It felt like the Vikings were waiting to interview another candidate. It was easy to guess that Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was that candidate. He coached alongside Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell for a couple seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He’d also crossed paths with Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Evero was an effective and fast-rising defensive coach. It was easy to understand O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah waiting for a shot to interview him. The Broncos were blocking that shot. He was finally released from his contract on Saturday. Less than 24 hours later, Evero was the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers. 

On Sunday, the Vikings defensive coordinator search was apparently down to Brian Flores and “settling” for Mike Pettine. Seeing as the Vikings fan base is a cynical, pessimistic bunch, many were penciling Pettine into their coaching roster. For what it’s worth, Flores and Evero were my top options. A 1a and 1b. Despite losing out on an opportunity to hire Evero, Flores was still an option. He was also in demand. The Broncos had an interview scheduled for today for their defensive coordinator position under Sean Payton. More significantly, Flores was a head coach finalist for the Arizona Cardinals. Seeing as he’s now the Vikings defensive coordinator, Flores preferred his new job over possibilities with those other teams. 

This is a fantastic hire for the Vikings.

The Vikings 2022 defense was terrible. Worse than terrible, they were passive. That passive play was a season-long anchor for the team. The only thing that saved the team was a handful of timely turnovers. If those didn’t come, the team was in serious trouble. The Vikings defense was a difficult watch. In Brian Flores, the Vikings now have a defensive coordinator that coaches aggressive play. Defensively, next year will be the opposite of last year. That’s a very good thing. Instead of keeping everything in front of them, the Vikings defense will be coming after the offense. They will be dictating the action rather than waiting for it to happen. Man-to-man coverage and blitzing. Loaded boxes will replace light boxes. Quarterbacks and the offensive line will be forced to make split-second decisions or pay a steep price. It’s so damn fun to think about the possibilities of the Flores-coordinated Vikings defense. 

Do they have the players to run this new defense? Danielle Hunter, Za’Darius Smith, Harrison Smith, Brian Asamoah, and Lewis Cine are a fine start. Skilled cover corners are a must for this defense. Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, and Cam Dantzler are young and skilled. Perhaps they can be molded into the players that this new defense needs. Whether the Vikings have the players is a question for an another day. While that day is coming real soon, this day is a great one. The Vikings have added a terrific coach to run the defense. 

Welcome to Minnesota, Brian Flores.

Brian Flores’ NFL Career

2004-05:  New England Patriots Scouting Assistant

2007-07:  New England Patriots Pro Scout

2008-09:  New England Patriots Special Teams Assistant

2010:       New England Patriots Assistant Offense and Special Teams Assistant 

2011:       New England Patriots Defensive Assistant

2012-15: New England Patriots Safeties Coach

2016-18: New England Patriots Linebackers Coach

2019-21: Miami Dolphins Head Coach

2022:      Pittsburgh Steelers Senior Defensive Assistant & Linebackers Coach

And Then There Was One

The Minnesota Vikings search for their next defensive coordinator is getting frustrating. After interviewing four candidates over a week ago…

Brian Flores - Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach

Sean Desai - Seattle Seahawks associate head coach-defense

Ryan Nielsen - New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator/DL coach

Mike Pettine - Minnesota Vikings assistant head coach

…the Vikings were apparently and reportedly waiting for an opportunity to interview a fifth candidate.

Ejiro Evero - Denver Broncos defensive coordinator

With past ties to both head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and a track record of strong coaching, it was assumed by many that Ejiro Evero was #1 on the team’s wish list from the start. That would explain the patient wait for an interview. As a rising coach in the league, Evero was in high demand. He’d interviewed for all five of this year’s head coach vacancies. He couldn’t interview for a defensive coordinator position as he was under contract with the Broncos and the team refused all interview requests for a parallel move. Finally, on Saturday, the Broncos released Evero from his contract. He was free to move on. It felt like a good thing for the Vikings. Their #1 was finally available for an interview. The good thing didn’t last long as the Carolina Panthers hired Evero to be their defensive coordinator yesterday. If it was a coin flip between the Panthers and the Vikings, the Panthers had the edge. He’d interviewed with the team to be their head coach. He and the team apparently made a positive impression on the other. 

Evero is now unavailable. So is Ryan Nielsen. He was hired by the Atlanta Falcons. Sean Desai is also unavailable. He withdrew from consideration to be the Vikings defensive coordinator to focus on the same position with the Broncos. The Vikings currently reported options for their next defensive coordinator come down to one. Brian Flores. Unfortunately for the Vikings, fortunately for him, Flores is a head coach finalist for the Arizona Cardinals. We’ll see how that goes. He also has an interview this week with the Broncos for their now open defensive coordinator position. The guess here is that Desai will be the next defensive coordinator in Denver. Potentially, that leaves the top job in Arizona or defensive coordinator in Minnesota for Flores. Nice options. 

When the Vikings interviewed Flores, fans were thrilled. He’d be a terrific hire. Until he isn’t an option, the possibility is still thrilling. I don’t get some of the current fretting. 

There’s always Mike Pettine. Perhaps, this option is the reason for the fretting. I like him as the assistant head coach. I’m not sure I like him guiding the Vikings defense. 

From the start of this search for a new defensive coordinator, I hoped that the Vikings decision-makers would consider former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Both O’Connell and Pettine know him well. O’Connell and Leonhard were teammates with the New York Jets. Baltimore, New York, Buffalo, Cleveland, everywhere Pettine coached, Leonhard was on the roster. He has no NFL coaching experience but he played in the league for 10 years. He knows NFL defense. He’s proven at the college level that he can teach defense. If Flores gets a deserved head coach shot, I sure hope that Leonhard is considered. With his familiarity to O’Connell and especially Pettine, I can’t imagine that he hasn’t been considered. 

If not Brian Flores, or Jim Leonhard, then who:

Kris Richard - former New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator

Dennard Wilson - Pass Game Coordinator/DB coach

Cory Undlin - San Francisco 49ers DB coach

Those are the coaches that quickly come to mind as they were considered when all this started. I just want the Vikings to find their defensive coordinator so that we can fully move on to the next phase of this offseason. 

Ranking The 56 Super Bowls

In one week, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will play in Super Bowl LVII. Here's a ranking of the Super Bowls that came before this one. I hope that the 57th will slide in somewhere near the top of next year's rankings. A good Super Bowl is a fun Super Bowl. 

56. Super Bowl IV-Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7

55. Super Bowl VIII-Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7

54. Super Bowl IX-Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6

53. Super Bowl XI-Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14

52. Super Bowl XXIV-San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10

51. Super Bowl XLVIII-Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8

50. Super Bowl XX-Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10

49. Super Bowl XXXV-Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7

48. Super Bowl XXIX-San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

47. Super Bowl XXXVII-Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21

46. Super Bowl XXII-Washington Redskins 42, Denver Broncos 10

45. Super Bowl XXVII-Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

44, Super Bowl XII-Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10

43. Super Bowl XXXIII Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19

42. Super Bowl XVIII Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9

41. Super Bowl XXVI-Washington Redskins 37, Buffalo Bills 24

40. Super Bowl XV-Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10

39. Super Bowl I-Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs 10

38. Super Bowl VI-Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3

37. Super Bowl XL-Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10

36. Super Bowl XLI-Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17

35. Super Bowl II-Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14

34. Super Bowl XIX-San Francisco 49ers, 38, Miami Dolphins 16

33. Super Bowl V-Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13

32. Super Bowl VII-Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7

31. Super Bowl XXVIII-Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13

30. Super Bowl XXI-New York Giants 39, Denver Broncos 20

29. Super Bowl LV-Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Kansas City Chiefs 9
28. Super Bowl XXXI-Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21

27. Super Bowl XXX-Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
26. Super Bowl L-Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10
25. Super Bowl XVII-Washington Redskins 27, Miami Dolphins 17

24. Super Bowl XLIV-New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
23. Super Bowl LIII-New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3
22. Super Bowl XXXIX-New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21

21. Super Bowl XLV-Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25

20. Super Bowl XLVI-New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17

19. Super Bowl XXXII-Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24

18. Super Bowl III-New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7

17. Super Bowl XLVII-Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
16. Super Bowl XXXIV-St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16

15. Super Bowl XVI-San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 21

14. Super Bowl XXXVI-New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

13. Super Bowl XIV-Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19

12. Super Bowl LIV-Kansas City Chiefs 31, San Francisco 49ers 20

11. Super Bowl LVI-Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20

10. Super Bowl LII-Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33
  9. Super Bowl X-Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17

  8. Super Bowl XXIII-San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

  7. Super Bowl XXV-New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

  6. Super Bowl XXXVIII-New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

  5. Super Bowl XLII-New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14
  4. Super Bowl LI-New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
  3. Super Bowl XLIX-New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24
  2. Super Bowl XLIII-Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

  1. Super Bowl XIII-Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31

Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Search…

About a week ago, the Minnesota Vikings interviewed four candidates for their vacant defensive coordinator position.

Brian Flores - Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/LB coach

Sean Desai - Seattle Seahawks associate head coach-defense

Ryan Nielsen - New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator/DL coach

Mike Pettine - Minnesota Vikings assistant head coach

Since then, nothing has happened yet plenty has happened. The Vikings still don’t have a defensive coordinator. They do have fewer candidates for the job. The Atlanta Falcons hired Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive coordinator. Yesterday, Sean Desai withdrew from consideration for the Vikings job as he focuses on securing the same position with the Denver Broncos. An apparently re-invigorated Sean Payton is the new head coach there. That annoying little scrapper and the Broncos are now a hindrance in the Vikings attempt to find and hire a new defensive coordinator. 

A year ago, new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett hired Los Angeles Rams secondary coach and passing game coordinator Ejiro Evero as his defensive coordinator. There’s a good chance that he was also the top defensive coordinator choice of soon-to-be Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. We’ll probably never know for sure. We do know that O’Connell is interested now. The Vikings have requested an interview with Evero. Payton and the Broncos have reportedly blocked that request. Typical.

The Broncos have the right to block interview requests for lateral moves. It’s typically done when the team has every intention of keeping that coach. I’ve seen some people mention that Mike Zimmer blocked Kevin Stefanski from making a lateral move to coach with Pat Shurmur in New York. There’s a big difference in that Stefanski was the Vikings offensive coordinator job and was going to remain their offensive coordinator. Payton has put Evero in a state of limbo. He might keep his defensive coordinator job with the Broncos but Payton is bringing in other candidates to interview for his job. Classy. Evero is forced to sit and watch these other candidates interview for his job while he can’t do the same for other teams. Not only is Payton keeping Evero from interviewing with the Vikings he’s also interviewing their candidates. Flores and Desai are reportedly coming to Denver for interviews. While Payton might try, it’s unlikely that he hires all three. Hopefully, he hires Desai as he’s already removed himself as a Vikings defensive coordinator candidate. That would also free Evero to perhaps come to Minnesota. 

So, the Vikings defensive coordinator search has apparently come down to two.

Brian Flores

Ejiro Evero

And perhaps Mike Pettine as a fallback option? 

While I really like Desai, Flores and Evero have become my favorites for the job. I’m thrilled with the potential of either. But the Broncos are gumming up the process.

It’s not just the Broncos. Flores and Evero are apparently still candidates for the vacant head coach jobs of the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts. 

I wish that all the teams involved would make their decisions soon. Then the Vikings can finally find their defensive coordinator. 

The No. 1 Pick In The NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears currently hold the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. If they use the pick, it would be the third time that they made the first pick in the draft. The first two didn’t go so well. Tom Harmon never played for them. Bob Fenimore never played all that well. With seven times each, the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts and the Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams have picked first the most. The Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Seattle Seahawks have never picked first. Here are the No. 1 Picks ranked by the teams that have made the pick the most.

The No. 1 Pick In The NFL Draft

1. Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts (7)

1955: George Shaw, QB, Oregon

1967: Bubba Smith, DE, Michigan State

1983: John Elway, QB, Stanford

1990: Jeff George, QB, Illinois

1992: Steve Emtman, DE, Washington

1998: Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee

2012: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

1. Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (7)

1938: Corbett Davis, FB, Indiana

1952: Bill Wade, QB, Vanderbilt

1960: Billy Cannon, HB, LSU

1963: Terry Baker, QB, Oregon St.

1997: Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State

2010: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

2016: Jared Goff, QB, California

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)

1976: Lee Roy Selmon, DE, Oklahoma

1977: Ricky Bell, HB, USC

1986: Bo Jackson, HB, Auburn

1987: Vinny Testeverde, QB, Miami

2015: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

3. Cleveland Browns (5)

1954: Bobby Garrett, QB, Stanford

1999: Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky

2000: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State

2017: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

2018: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

3. Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals (5)

1939: Ki Aldrich, C, TCU

1940: George Cafego, HB, Tennessee

1945: Charley Trippi, HB, Georgia

1958: King Hill, QB, Rice

2019: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

6. Detroit Lions (4)

1943: Frank Sinkwich, HB, Georgia

1950: Leon Hart, E, Notre Dame

1980: Billy Sims, HB, Oklahoma

2009: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

6. Atlanta Falcons (4)

1966: Tommy Nobis, LB, Texas

1975: Steve Bartkowski, QB, California

1988: Aundray Bruce, LB, Auburn

2001: Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech

6. Buffalo Bills (4)

1969: O.J. Simpson, HB, USC

1972: Walt Patulski, DE, Notre Dame

1979: Tom Cousineau, LB, Ohio State

1985: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech

6. Cincinnati Bengals (4)

1994: Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State

1995: Ki-Jana Carter, HB, Penn State

2003: Carson Palmer, QB, USC

2020: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

6. New England Patriots (3)

1971: Jim Plunkett, QB, Stanford

1982: Kenneth Sims, DE, Texas

1984: Irving Fryar, WR, Nebraska

1993: Drew Bledsoe, QB, Washington State

10. Philadelphia Eagles (3)

1936: Jay Berwanger, HB, Chicago

1937: Sam Francis, FB, Nebraska

1949: Chuck Bednarik, LB, Penn

10. Pittsburgh Steelers

1942: Bill Dudley, HB, Virginia

1956: Gary Glick, DB, Colorado A&M

1970: Terry Bradshaw, QB, Louisiana Tech

10. Dallas Cowboys (3)

1974: Ed Jones, DE, Tennessee State

1989: Troy Aikman, QB, UCLA

1991: Russell Maryland, DT, Miami

10. San Francisco 49ers (3)

1953: Harry Babcock, E, Georgia

1964: Dave Parks, WR, Texas Tech

2005: Alex Smith, QB, Utah

10. Houston Texans (3)

2002: Dave Carr, QB, Fresno State

2006: Mario Williams, DE, North Carolina State

2014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

16. Minnesota Vikings (2)

1961: Tommy Mason, HB, Tulane

1968: Ron Yary, OT, USC

16. Chicago Bears (2)

1941: Tom Harmon, HB, Michigan

1947: Bob Fenimore, HB, Oklahoma A&M

16. Boston/Washington Braves/Redskins/Commanders (2)

1948: Harry Gilmer, HB, Alabama

1962: Ernie Davis, HB, Syracuse

16. New York Giants (2)

1951: Kyle Rote, HB, SMU

1965: Tucker Fredrickson, HB, Auburn

16. Green Bay Packers (2)

1957: Paul Hornung, HB, Notre Dame

1959: Randy Duncan, QB, Iowa

16. Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (2)

1973: John Matuszak, DE, Tampa

1978: Earl Campbell, HB, Texas

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (2) 

2021: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

2022: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia

23. New Orleans Saints (1)

1981: George Rogers, HB, South Carolina

23. New York Jets (1)

1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR, USC

23. San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (1)

2004: Eli Manning, QB, Mississippi 

23. Oakland/Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders (1)

2007: Jamarcus Russell, QB, LSU

23. Miami Dolphins (1) 

2008: Jake Long, OT, Michigan

23. Carolina Panthers (1)

2011: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

23. Kansas City Chiefs (1) 

2013: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

The Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, and Baltimore Ravens have never picked first. 

One team that is no longer with us made the first pick in the draft twice:

Boston Yanks (2)

1944: Angelo Bertelli, QB, Notre Dame

1946: Frank Dancewicz, QB, Notre Dame

The Yanks were fond of Notre Dame quarterbacks. Unfortunately, that fondness couldn’t save the franchise.