Kevin O’Connell has ‘a lot of confidence’ Vikings will retain DC Brian Flores as coaching carousel spins
It’s a wise play for a coordinator who has built a reputation for cooking up exotic defenses that flummox even the best quarterbacks. At minimum, Flores can use such leverage to land a raise; he could also return to the top job, a role he hasn’t occupied since his days in Miami, if he finds the right fit.
O’Connell stated he has “a lot of confidence” the Vikings will come to an agreement to keep Flores. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, meanwhile, took a different approach to the matter, attempting to quell worries about a defensive decline if Flores were to leave.
“He is unique, and he does have a unique play style, but if you really look down deep, what does Flo value?” Adofo-Mensah said. “Versatility, physicality, the things that matter in good defensive football … that everybody values. Flo kind of takes those pieces and puts it together in an artwork that’s different than most, but the core colors that are a part of that painting, a lot of people share those same things.”
It sure seems as if O’Connell wants Flores on his staff more than anything else this offseason. We’ll see if his GM can convince the coordinator to stick around.
