Every offseason brings a coaching churn within each of the NFL’s 32 teams. It’s an overhaul for the team’s that are bringing in a new head coach. It’s mostly coaching staff tweaks for the rest of the teams. The Vikings will be looking for a new general manager. They are set at head coach with Kevin O’Connell. As far as his coaching staff is concerned, the first and biggest question of the offseason was whether defensive coordinator Brian Flores was coming back. He’s deserving of a head coach opportunity. Of the 10 head coach vacancies this offseason, only the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers even interviewed him. Both teams hired other coaches. There’s a lot of stupidity across the league. Thankfully, that stupidity brought Flores back to Minnesota with a new contract. His return meant that Vikings secondary coach/pass game coordinator Daronte Jones was departing. He’s deserving of a coordinator opportunity. He found that opportunity with the Washington Commanders. The Vikings had already lost safeties coach Michael Hutchings to a defensive coordinator opportunity with Cal. The Vikings offensive line coach of the past four seasons, Chris Kuper didn’t have his contract renewed. A decade of offensive line issues continued under Kuper’s four-year watch. As a result, his departure wasn’t a surprise. The departure of Marcus Dixon under similar circumstances (expiring contract) might’ve been a surprise. His two-year run as the defensive line coach saw considerable improvement from his players. I believe that he was a coach the Vikings would’ve liked to keep. It appears that he has other plans.
So, the Vikings had to find replacements for Chris Kuper, Daronte Jones, and Marcus Dixon. Since I expected the need for an offensive line coach and a defensive backs coach, I had a wish list.
Frank Smith - offensive line
Gerald Alexander - defensive backs
For offensive line, I hoped for a coach from the trees of some of the innovative run game coaches in the league. Specifically, I hoed for a coach that’s worked with Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel, Sean McVay, etc. Frank Smith has been Mike McDaniel’s offensive coordinator since 2022. Prior to being the Miami Dolphins head coach, McDaniel was the run game schemster of Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers. My biggest concern with the Vikings possibly hiring Smith was whether he’d “settle” for an offensive line coaching role. He’s more at the level of offensive coordinator or head coach. He interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator position that just went to Sean Mannion. Perhaps that missed opportunity opened an opportunity with the Vikings. I’ve been a big fan of Gerald Alexander since his three-year run (2017-19) as Cal’s secondary coach. That run in Berkeley ended when Brian Flores, as the head coach in Miami, hired him as the Dolphins secondary coach. My personal witness of his terrific work at Cal and Flores’ connection with him made Alexander an easy coach for me to target. Alexander is an excellent football coach. As for the defensive line coach, I simply hoped that Marcus Dixon would return.
After a rough Friday, the Vikings announced some coaching hires on Saturday. It was a great Saturday.
Frank Smith - Assistant Head Coach
Gerald Alexander - Defensive Backs Coach/Pass Game Coordinator
Ryan Nielsen - Defensive Line coach/Run Game Coordinator
The Vikings also announced that assistant offensive line coach Keith Carter was promoted to offensive line coach. He’s been the offensive line coach of the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets. He has the experience and is deserving of this role. The best thing about the Vikings offensive coach changes is the addition of Frank Smith and his run game schemes. Kevin O’Connell is terrific with the pass game. He needed some help with the run game. Smith will provide that help. The Vikings offense got better with these coaching changes. Gerald Alexander is an outstanding addition to the defensive coaching staff. At the start of this offseason, I had two coaching wishes. Most importantly, I wanted Brian Flores to stay. He deserves a head coach opportunity. Selfishly, I want him as the Vikings defensive coordinator for eternity. Secondly, I wanted the Vikings to hire Gerald Alexander. The unfortunate thing about his addition is that it would probably have to come with the loss of Daronte Jones. It did. The surprise of yesterday’s coaching news was the hiring of Ryan Nielsen. Since I hoped that Marcus Dixon would return, I didn’t really think about potential defensive line coaches. I’m not sure that Viking could’ve done better than Ryan Nielsen. He interviewed for the Vikings defensive coordinator job in 2023. Flores got the job in Minnesota but Nielsen got the defensive coordinator job with the Atlanta Falcons. He has terrific experience and results as a defensive coach, and specifically defensive line coach.
The Minnesota Vikings roster of coaches might seem complete but I’m not sure that it is. I expect them to add an assistant defensive backs coach/safeties coach. I also expect the addition of an assistant offensive line coach.
After a rough Friday, Saturday was kinda nice. Viking-wise.
