The Minnesota Vikings' loss may be the Dallas Cowboys' gain this offseason, if, of course, owner/general managerJerry Jones does what he needs to do and fires defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Certainly, the idea of that became clear when Jones said of Eberlfus' defense that "We have a lot of work to do over there. But we can do it.”
Minnesota may have a tough time keeping its highly approved of defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, given a recent report from ESPN's Kevin Seifert on how tough it may be for the Vikings to keep him.
Brian Flores Is Expected to Attract a Lot of Offseason Attention
"Flores' contract as the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator will expire after this season. NFL rules allow coordinators to break their deals if they are offered a head coaching job, but Flores' situation will allow him to explore his coordinator options around the league as well," Seifert wrote. "There are no indications that either Flores or the Vikings are eager to part ways, and Flores enjoys wide latitude and significant personnel influence in Minnesota. But the franchise must brace for the possibility that it will lose one of its top assets."
Minnesota may end up with a winning record, despite quarterback J.J. McCarthy's injury woes leading to Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer playing the majority of the snaps, because of Flores' No. 5 unit in overall defensive yardage allowed. Flores' "resume game," as Seifert described it, was an ideal Christmas Day elimination of a divisional rival, the Detroit Lions, that featured three net passing yards because Brosmer was sacked seven times for minus-48 yards.
In other words, it's easy to see why the Flores would be the perfect person to replace Eberflus. It's also easy to see why other teams will be lining up to hire him, whether that's as a head coach or well-paid coordinator.
Dallas would be lucky to win those sweepstakes. The fan base wants him. And a potential signing would prove to the NFL that Jones & Co. are serious about going "all-in." It's not going to be easy, though, considering the potential competition and the Vikings' desire to extend their current partnership
Vikings' Interest in Extending Brian Flores Could Force Cowboys to Overpay
On Saturday, NBC Sports' Mike Florio reported that "the Vikings are currently working toward extending (Flores') deal." Florio added that they wanted to hammer out a deal before the 2025 season; however, the 44-year-old DC wanted to stay focused on the year and bet on himself instead.
With betting on himself proving to be the right move, Jones may need to pony up to land Flores. Not only will he be coveted as a defensive coordinator around the league, but if he wants to be the man again, a head coaching role could happen if the right fit pops up.
Of course, this is Jones we're talking about. Odds are, he may have a galaxy-brained idea for the position that no other franchise has on its radar. Eberflus was not exactly the most coveted asset last offseason, so another hiring of that ilk would not be shocking.
At the same time, Jones can't afford to keep spinning the revolving door of DCs. Yes, it might hurt for him to admit that Eberflus' hiring was a mistake, but that move will be quickly forgotten if he hands a blank check to Flores that lures him to the Lone Star State. America's Team has all of the money in the world to play with, and it's finally time for the Cowboys to walk the walk that earned them that moniker in the first place.
A potential Flores hiring would be a long shot, no doubt, but it's also the type of move that Cowboys fans desperately need to see this offseason. If that means backing up the Brink's truck to convince the Dolphins' DC that Dallas is the place to be, Jones must jump at the first chance to turn the situation from a pipedream into a reality.