We recently heard that Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is on an expiring contract, and that Minnesota wants to re-sign him. While teams with head coach openings are expected to pursue Flores, at least one rival team in need of a new DC could target him as well.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there is “increasing chatter” that the Cowboys will be squarely in the mix for Flores’ services. Dallas appears likely to fire incumbent defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus at season’s end, as his unit has effectively counteracted the elite performance of the team’s offense and has kept the Cowboys out of the playoffs.
Obviously, the late-August trade of All-Pro edge defender Micah Parsons helped undermine Eberflus’ efforts, but the former Bears HC was never able to find his footing this season, even after the trade deadline acquisitions of Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson. Indeed, Wilson’s lack of usage in Week 17 seemed to ruffle owner Jerry Jones’ feathers.
The Vikings are something of a mirror image of the Cowboys. Flores’ defense ranks in the top-10 in both yards and points, whereas the club’s lackluster offense has been the primary culprit in its exclusion from the playoff field. But while Florio leaves open the possibility that Jones could open his checkbook and make Flores an offer he cannot refuse, the strong defense that Flores has established in Minnesota is a far cry from the overhaul the Dallas unit appears to require.
Speculatively, it would seem as if Flores would only leave the Vikings if he receives a head coaching offer, since he would be taking more of a risk vis-a-vis his HC stock if he were to go elsewhere. However, Florio also suggests Flores’ interpersonal style inherited from his days working under Bill Belichick with the Patriots may mean Minnesota does not truly want him back, reports to the contrary notwithstanding. If that’s the case, then he presumably would be willing to take a DC post with another club.
On the other hand, Florio does say Flores’ personality complements the more easygoing nature of Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, whose opinion about one of his top staffers should certainly carry a great deal of weight. If O’Connell wants Flores back, and if Flores does not land an HC gig, he should be considered likely to be back in Minnesota in 2026.