Flores is our new DC

[Foreman44]

If our offense next year is as good next year this years, that’s great... if Flores defense even moves top 10-15. We make the NFC Championship, or SB.

He make many Viking fans happy..

But my guess is we will see a big improvement defensively. But finds a early exit home. But Flores will finds a 2024 HC job

Then next year, Our Vikings are back to square one. Back to square one.searching for a new DC.

Do we find another Flores, or another Donatell.

Unfortunately I guess that’s the NFL. You can’t blame Flores excepting a HC position if offered

I bet McVey didn’t like to lose. KOC either.

Yeah it's nature of beast. If you are good as a coordinator you will elevate to HC somewhere. As you said, look at the changes (due to success) experienced by the Rams staff.

If Flores is a HC after next season, it's likely due to and success the defense here has next season. You can plug anyone into that scenario and the outcome is the same. They don't get elevated to hc if the unit they coordinate is poor.

Kapp, good post above. My initial thoughts last night when I heard the news was; (1) Cine and Booth seem to align more with Flores' scheme from their college tape, (2) build around Hunter on the line, and (3) Asamoah is gonna get a chance to be coached by a guy who can maximize his skill set imho (having watched him in person at college many times).

Obviously as heavily discussed on pods, and here, H Smith and D Tomlinson more important to keep now.

I am kinda indifferent on Z Smith. I know that's due to how he finished the season. I just have no confidence he can stay healthy at this point in his career.

Also don't think PP in a man scheme is gonna go well.

Thinking it’s over. If as said if he gets a job next year. Means he did well as a coach. It doesn’t It be the same for any DC or OC.. Coach.Flores, I wish Flores my best..A. Great yr

[CharVike]

I watched Flores training camp press conf and some posters pointed out that he's aggressive. I agree with this. You can tell by just listening to him that players will need to step up and his version of D will be intense. When asked about Hunter picking up the new terminology he said it won't be a problem for him because his job will be to get after the QB. That's what it's all about. That helps the secondary. He impressed me and I'm certainly not expecting a top 10 unit. I do think this was a good hire. Certainly better than that bend stuff.

[Maelstrom88]

I would love Flores as a HC let alone having him as a DC.

[J. Kapp 11]

From an article in The Athletic this morning:

Most of the Minnesota Vikings had left the practice field Saturday evening, but second-year cornerback Akayleb Evans remained. He chatted with friends. He mingled with the families of other players. Finally ready to wrap it up, to leave for the night and for the rest of the weekend, he made the long walk toward the locker room. And it was there, right before he entered the building, that he summed up a popular refrain from all Vikings players: “This defense is fire.”

Evans was, of course, referring to Brian Flores’ defense. To Flores’ aggressive-but-not-reckless system that gives players tools to play free and fast.

The players are pumped about what’s possible. Newly-signed cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. said this week that he was having a blast learning its intricacies. Safety Cam Bynum is enjoying it so much that, when asked about it, he crouched into a safety stance and started to explain certain intricacies, swiveling his hips and pointing like he was in the middle of the game.

These are not comments made to dunk on Ed Donatell, who was fired after last year’s defensive debacle. In fact, when his name comes up, players make it a point to mention their respect for him. It’s just this current iteration of the defense is less a test of pre-play memorization and more a test of on-field adaptation.

“It takes a lot of the thinking out of it and lets you go be a football player,” safety Lewis Cine said.

It's easy to get excited during this part of the year. It's a little like spring ... rejuvenation, rebirth, everything's blooming, all that crap (to quote Seinfeld). No games have been played. Anything is possible.

But when the players, especially the DBs, are this fired up, it's hard not to feel at least a little optimistic about the defense being better.

[Maelstrom88]