5 Ed Donatell replacements Vikings need to reach their ceiling
Scouting Report. LB Coach. player. 60. Pick Analysis. Pittsburgh Steelers. Brian Flores. 3
Swaying Brian Flores could end up being a total coup for the Vikings
Even with only roughly 24 hours having passed since O’Connell and Minnesota decided to move on from Ed Donatell, one of the first things that the organization did was reach out to the Pittsburgh Steelers to request to interview their linebackers coach and former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
The #Vikings have requested permission to speak with #Steelers senior defensive assistant and LBs coach Brian Flores for their newly vacant DC job, source said. Coach Kevin O’Connell and Flores overlapped in New England for a year.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2023
As mentioned by Ian Rapoport, O’Connell and Flores have a previous relationship from a year spent in New England together, a time for the potential defensive coordinator candidate that ultimately helped him land the head coaching job in Miami.
Flores has long been known for his aggressiveness as a defensive mind. His defenses in Miami were always high in terms of blitz rate and also in effectiveness. With the personnel that’s currently on the Minnesota roster, that would make a lot of sense to bring in someone who is well-versed in getting after opposing quarterbacks while also not sacrificing too much in coverage.
No coordinator hire to replace Donatell has the track record that Flores brings to the table. Though there have been some legal issues with Flores in regards to his dismissal from the Dolphins and otherwise and his suit against the NFL, if the Vikings want someone who can coach that side of the ball, Flores has proven he’s more than capable of doing so.