The clock is ticking on the Vikings' attempt to retain defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
The lauded strategic wizard has already interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens for their vacant head coaching job and could soon attract plenty of interest for defensive coordinator openings if other head coaching interviews don't materialize.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters Tuesday that Flores sits atop their list of priorities as they enter the 2026 offseason and feels the urgency to keep the coordinator, whom O'Connell said the Vikings have "been really aggressive" in pursuing.
"I think he's more than deserving, everything he's brought to our organization over these last three years," O'Connell said, via the Minnesota Star Tribune. "Not surprised people are wanting to talk to him about that role. Excited for him to do so, all while knowing our No. 1 priority -- really before the season even ended -- our No. 1 priority has been to get that thing done with him."
If the interest was completely mutual, one would surmise that a deal might be completed by now. However, Flores seems to be taking an approach generally exhibited by free-agent players who test the market and survey their options before making a final decision.
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.
