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Washington Post
a day ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Brian Flores still finds joy running the Vikings defense after being passed over for head coach jobs
EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings were in full-team drills during minicamp on Thursday, when an unexpected pre-snap alignment by the defense prompted new center Ryan Kelly to ask coach Kevin O'Connell about the call he should make for blocking that play. 'Your guess is as good as mine,' O'Connell told Kelly, as he later recounted to reporters. 'I've got no idea what they're doing over there.'
Associated Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Brian Flores still finds joy running the Vikings defense after being passed over for head coach jobs
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings were in full-team drills during minicamp on Thursday, when an unexpected pre-snap alignment by the defense prompted new center Ryan Kelly to ask coach Kevin O'Connell about the call he should make for blocking that play. 'Your guess is as good as mine,' O'Connell told Kelly, as he later recounted to reporters. 'I've got no idea what they're doing over there.' Yes, that's the Brian Flores effect on the Vikings offense, a recurring and welcomed feature of practice against one of the NFL 's most aggressively experimental defensive coordinators. 'It must've been pretty close to the end of the offseason program, because today he ran some stuff that I didn't even know was in there,' O'Connell said. 'That's Flo. I challenge him all the time to do those things.' The mad scientist behind the shape-shifting and fast-moving scheme is back for his third season with the Vikings, a pleasant surprise of sorts for a team that figured he'd have landed another head coach position by now. Flores interviewed for vacancies with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets in January, but he was passed over by all three clubs. 'Being able to sit in that interview setting and have a conversation for that role is obviously an honor, and those jobs went to guys who were certainly deserved,' Flores said. 'It was a great experience, and I enjoyed it. I'm also very happy to be right where I am.' Flores, who was fired by the Miami Dolphins after three seasons as their head coach from 2019-21, still has a racial discrimination lawsuit pending against the league in response to losing that job. But if there's any bitterness Flores is harboring, he's hiding it well. Since O'Connell hired him in 2023, he has embraced this experience with the Vikings and all that has come with it for him and his family. The Vikings ranked fifth in the league in scoring defense last season after finishing 14th the year before. They were 28th in 2022 before he arrived. Successful spending in free agency helped enhance the depth chart, but Flores has also helped turn unheralded players such as safety Josh Metellus and linebacker Ivan Pace into key contributors. Last season, the Vikings tied for the league lead with 33 takeaways, leading to a steady stream of on-field celebrations. 'My joy comes from watching them have excitement,' Flores said. The frequent use of Metellus as an inside linebacker or an edge rusher was one way Flores has used unorthodox schemes to take advantage of his players' quickness — of body and mind — and keep the opponent constantly guessing. On some third downs, in another example, he'd fill the line with stand-up pass rushers. Spring practice is the time to tinker. Flores, in regular conversation with safety Harrison Smith, linebacker Blake Cashman or defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, is never afraid to try a new look. Why not see if it can work? 'He's always trying to evolve. He's always trying to be one step ahead,' edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel said. 'That's one thing I love about him.' ___ AP NFL:
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
J.J. McCarthy minicamp reps may not induce headlines — but that's OK (and intentional)
EAGAN, Minn. — The second mandatory minicamp practice had just finished, and there was the Minnesota Vikings' new center Ryan Kelly, cradling his helmet next to the field and saying things like, 'This is the most talented team I've ever been around top to bottom.' You really feel that way? 'Oh yeah,' Kelly said. 'It's impressive.' Advertisement His former team, the Colts, hasn't had the rosiest recent past. Indianapolis only made the playoffs twice in Kelly's nine-year tenure with the club, but still, this observation means something. The 32-year-old knows his way around a locker room. He's played for multiple coaches, snapped the ball to plenty of quarterbacks and rubbed shoulders with almost every type of teammate. Kelly saying this was — at the bare minimum — internal validation of the widely held external beliefs about these Vikings. With elite talent comes immense responsibility, especially at quarterback. There is a reason J.J. McCarthy is a popular talking point in the NFL universe. There is a reason he is deserving of space right here. His burden is large. These Vikings, built to go further than was realistically possible in years past, will succeed or fail with the youngster. Kelly understands that. 'I think that's also why I'm here,' he said. He's right. Kelly's presence is just one of the countless steps taken by coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to maximize what's possible. It's not that former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury didn't have experience, especially within Minnesota's system. Kelly, though, is both a better player and a key cog who has worked with different quarterback personalities, skill sets and experience levels. Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Anthony Richardson and others require varying degrees of assistance. One might suspect Kelly would be spending these practices passing tidbits to McCarthy. He's not. This, too, is calculated. Why make things easy when there is no report card? Why not challenge McCarthy to assess all of the potential defensive looks? Why not evaluate what it looks like when he has to take everything in, then spit out play calls with lengthy verbiage? Why not ask him to adjust protections and try to get the offense into the right play? Advertisement Why remove an aspect of traditional development simply because you have a center who can serve as a backstop? 'If you never have to do all of this,' Kelly said, 'you're looking through it like a tiny lens. In order to see the full picture, you have to have coaches who demand that of you. His development to understand is more important than me showing how capable I am. We want to push this guy, and he's responded incredibly well. He's a very smart guy.' The extent of the demands is partially why O'Connell scoffs at those who track McCarthy's results on days like these. McCarthy may progress from the front side of a concept to the back side and hit a receiver in stride, but could he have identified something in the coverage that would have quickened his progression? McCarthy may drill a receiver running a go route, but did he make that throw because the play call required so many words that he couldn't get it off in time? 9️⃣ to 3️⃣ 🎯🎯 — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) June 10, 2025 This mental stress is but a fraction of what it'll feel like on Sundays in the fall. It's also just one component of the full picture that allows the most successful quarterbacks to thrive. There is the physical piece, encompassing everything from lower-half mechanics to the touch applied to throws upon release. The Vikings have never questioned McCarthy's sheer arm strength. They're looking for progress in his ability to induce an arc on the ball. There is the cognitive piece, the split-second decision-making process after the snap. Can you visualize the defense's structure and pull the trigger at the right time? Can you do it with 300-pound men bearing down on you in 2 1/2 seconds? There is also the psychological piece. Navigating real-world stressors and in-game trials calls for a sense of calm. Advertisement Each piece affects the other. Sounds easy, right? 'I think (J.J.) is right where he needs to be right now,' offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said Wednesday. 'And right where we thought he'd be. I don't think he'd come up here and say he mastered the offense. Every rep is a learning rep.' Every one of these days is an integral learning day, as cliched as that sounds, or as mundane as it looks. Although the Vikings shifted from organized team activities last week to minicamp this week, the speed of the drills remained the same. McCarthy has not taken one snap in an 11-on-11 setting with defensive coordinator Brian Flores' pass rush coming at him with its collective hair on fire. That doesn't mean Kelly, offensive line coach Chris Kuper, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and O'Connell aren't conferring after practice about the next test they think would be valuable for McCarthy. That doesn't mean these opportunities aren't the ones that will allow all of the pieces of the puzzle to come together as smoothly as possible when it matters most.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Vikings offseason winners and losers: As OTAs begin, who is worth watching?
The J.J. McCarthy coverage will commence soon. Organized team activities (OTAs) begin Wednesday for the Minnesota Vikings. The afternoon practice provides the first snapshot of McCarthy in a competitive setting since last summer's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. His presence warrants most of the attention, but Wednesday also offers the first opportunity to see this new-look roster. Advertisement There isn't a better way to determine who to watch than by considering the most notable facets of the last few months. Here are four winners and four losers from OTAs who should be front and center beginning this week: Let's start with the head coach's new extension. The Vikings' 2024 season ended on Jan. 13, and before the end of the month, the team and Kevin O'Connell agreed to terms on a new contract. It's hefty. It'll keep the reigning NFL coach of the year in Minnesota for the next half-decade. Security does not come easily for NFL head coaches, so that's a notable achievement. The offseason's offensive personnel additions benefit O'Connell as well. A play caller has more options when he has a formidable interior of the offensive line. The Vikings allocated a major chunk of their available resources to center Ryan Kelly, right guard Will Fries and first-round pick Donovan Jackson. Minnesota also re-upped running back Aaron Jones, acquired running back Jordan Mason via trade and used a third-round pick on receiver Tai Felton. O'Connell has been the main orchestrator of the Vikings' success over the last three years. This offseason cemented ownership's belief in him, but also upped the expectations. There's not much more O'Connell could want. Now, the onus is on him and the rest of the Vikings' decision-makers to make it work with as well-rounded a roster as they've had since they arrived three years ago. .@D_jack78 adds even more to what we've built up front this offseason. 📺: — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 20, 2025 Vikings running backs coach and run game coordinator Curtis Modkins has been around the block since he started in the NFL in 2008. O'Connell, who worked with Modkins in 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers, hired him when he came to Minnesota. Modkins has held the same role for three years. He is a winner for a couple of the same reasons O'Connell is. Modkins' room maintains Jones, the consummate professional who makes the coach's job easier. Acquiring Mason gives the backfield another boost in terms of vision and physicality. Add in the interior offensive line overhaul, and what more could you want if you were the man in charge of an aspect of this team that must improve? The Vikings' run game ranked 27th in the NFL in 2022 and 2023, then 20th in 2024, according to DVOA. Personnel limited the ceiling in the past, but it shouldn't anymore. Advertisement It's wild to consider how the Vikings landed Jackson. The Tennessee Titans drafted him in the sixth round in 2022, then begrudgingly waived him and shifted him to the practice squad. Tennessee did not want to lose him, but Minnesota plucked him away for nothing. He entered with zero fanfare but constantly made plays. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores liked Jackson immediately, and teammates believed just as strongly in what he could become. The Vikings didn't blink when safety Cam Bynum coveted a massive new contract because of their belief that Jackson is intelligent, rangy and capable. He signed a three-year deal this offseason and is in line to start full time. Offensive line coaches prepare to offer help wherever their line is weak. If that happens to be on the edge, they'll ask tight ends to chip pass rushers and running backs to eye pressure from the outside. It's easier to put additional bodies in a spot when you can hold up elsewhere. Opposing teams could do that last year against the Vikings, which is about the only thing that stopped Greenard and Van Ginkel, specifically, from wrecking games. But opposing teams won't be able to do that anymore. Why? Because the Vikings signed Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Move all of your resources to the edge, and you'll now be susceptible inside. Be mindful of what Hargrave and Allen can accomplish on the inside, and you'll be handing Greenard, Van Ginkel and Turner more one-on-one pass-rush reps on the edge. This catch-22 would benefit any defense, but it might mean more for a system as creative as Flores'. Different stunts and games become possible. Toss Harrison Smith's and Josh Metellus' blitz abilities into the mix, and offensive line coaches preparing for the Vikings will need some ibuprofen. Andrew Van Ginkel was EVERYWHERE against the Giants! The linebacker had four tackles, a sack and a pick-six in a dominant first regular season game for the Vikings #Skol — Minnesota Vikings UK (@UKVikings) September 10, 2024 The Jacksonville Jaguars hired a 29-year-old as their offensive coordinator for a reason. Grant Udinski, who last year was the assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach for the Vikings, bridged gaps between O'Connell's schematic vision and the weekly quarterback plan. Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown frequently praised Udinski's knowledge of the system. Udinski arranged post-workout walk-throughs for quarterbacks most afternoons. Advertisement More than most, Udinski understood the way O'Connell's mind worked and how to translate his plan to the quarterbacks. The Vikings hoped to keep him, but Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen had eyed him for years. Minnesota's infrastructure remains rock solid, but the new hire for Udinski's role, Jordan Traylor, formerly an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints, has big shoes to fill. He must serve as a confidant for McCarthy. Brandel looked like two different players last year. He ranked sixth in pass-blocking efficiency among 72 qualified guards before Week 9. From Week 9 on, he ranked 63rd. Christian Darrisaw's torn ACL and MCL are the obvious variables in the dichotomy. The Vikings are optimistic about Brandel, but they still supplemented the offensive line with a left guard in the draft. Brandel's versatility should keep him in the fold even if Jackson, the team's first-round pick, wins the role from the outset. But the rookie inherently clouds Brandel's path to available playing time. Few NFL teams maximize the undrafted free-agency period like the Vikings. Ivan Pace Jr. presents a best-case scenario for players of this ilk, but Minnesota values developmental opportunities for players at the bottom of the roster. Good problems arise when you are as effective as the Vikings have been in targeting potential contributors, and that's the theme here. Murphy, Richter, Taimani and McGlothern all flashed last year. Richter thrived on special teams. McGlothern intercepted a pass in Cleveland during joint practices, then was thrust into garbage-time action against the Chicago Bears and receiver Keenan Allen. Taimani plugged gaps against the run, and Murphy's athletic traits are unmistakable. Yet none are safe as the fall approaches. The Vikings have pooled together another talented undrafted class. BYU edge rusher Tyler Batty, Utah cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn, Georgia edge Chaz Chambliss, Auburn linebacker Austin Keys and others will vie for spots. Whatever the case, Minnesota's roster will be better because of the Murphys and Richters of the world, who need to prove themselves once more. Durability in the NFL requires a certain amount of luck, but staffing matters. Vikings players raved about last year's group, specifically director of rehabilitation Matt Duhamel and strength and conditioning coach Josh Hingst. The Carolina Panthers poached Hingst, who had been with Minnesota for four seasons. The Vikings replaced him with multiple staffers. They're all well-regarded with varying areas of expertise, but they'll have to build trust with the players, something that often flies under the radar. So much of what the Vikings want to accomplish in 2025 hinges on the health of older players who have navigated injuries, and this department's role warrants monitoring. (Photo of Jonathan Greenard: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What are realistic expectations for Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy? What the history tells us
Kevin O'Connell gave an illuminating quote last week. The Minnesota Vikings coach was being interviewed on 'The Rich Eisen Show,' and Eisen asked him multiple questions about young quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Eventually, O'Connell turned snarky. 'I know everybody is wildly concerned about these reps on air,' O'Connell said. 'Let me put you at peace: (McCarthy) is taking plenty of snaps from Ryan Kelly, who happens to be a 10-year starting offensive center in this league.' Advertisement O'Connell's point? The Vikings may be waiting to declare McCarthy the starter, but McCarthy is receiving the starter reps. This is instructive. O'Connell reiterated the team's belief in the 22-year-old while keeping the competitive spirit alive for McCarthy's continued development. Maximizing what a quarterback can be does not mean coddling him. Praising and uplifting are necessary, but not to a degree that they prevent progress. The general interest in McCarthy, to the degree that Eisen was peppering O'Connell about him, is appropriate. It's not just that McCarthy is a well-known, national championship-winning quarterback from Michigan (Eisen is also a Michigan grad, hence his particular interest). It's not just that McCarthy was the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. It's also that the Vikings, coming off a 14-win season, chose McCarthy over more proven options, including Sam Darnold and Aaron Rodgers. Feeling 110%@jjmccarthy09 — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 29, 2025 Minnesota's roster is loaded with veterans. The team is spending over $330 million on the current group, which ranks second most in the NFL behind the Buffalo Bills. O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have reshaped the organization's culture and brought regular-season success, but the next step must include playoff wins. All of these factors underscore the focus on McCarthy. It makes sense to be optimistic about his projected path. Review the tape of the most relevant data point, last summer's preseason game between the Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders, and you'll notice the talent. McCarthy layered passes to the sideline. He efficiently climbed the pocket. He progressed in rhythm and kept his eyes downfield, displaying the processing ability the Vikings identified while evaluating him before the draft. Advertisement Any skepticism is tied to the unknown: McCarthy's torn meniscus, his professional inexperience and the history of young quarterbacks. There are no apples-to-apples comparisons. Every quarterback differs, and no quarterback infrastructure is the same. Still, exploring the past feels like a worthwhile exercise. In the last 20 seasons, teams starting rookie quarterbacks have won 40.1 percent of their games, according to TruMedia. Here are some of the best rookie seasons since the turn of the century: C.J. Stroud, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix are three recent outliers. They share one characteristic: a lot of college experience. Each threw more than 800 passes in college, whereas McCarthy did not. He would have likely neared their attempts had he remained in college for his senior season like Daniels and Nix. McCarthy performed more consistently in high-leverage, third-down situations than Stroud. Also, McCarthy's professional circumstances are better than theirs. He is in the driver's seat of a luxury sports car with all of the bells and whistles. Receiving corps? Elite. Offensive line? Revamped. Running back depth? Solid. A system designed by a quarterback for a quarterback? The Vikings have that, too. Review the rest of the above rookie list; some have similar setups. Dak Prescott's head coach may have been Jason Garrett, and his offensive coordinator may have been Scott Linehan, but he was throwing to Dez Bryant and Jason Witten. His running back was rookie Ezekiel Elliott, who amassed an eye-popping 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns. Oh, by the way, three of Prescott's offensive linemen (Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin) earned first-team All-Pro honors. Ben Roethlisberger's rookie offense was also stacked. He handed the ball off to Jerome Bettis. Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress were on the other end of his passes. First-team All-Pro offensive linemen Alan Faneca and Jeff Hartings protected him. Three additional young debuts warrant mention: Deshaun Watson, Jordan Love and Patrick Mahomes. Watson, who tore his ACL as a rookie in 2017, responded with a 4,165-yard, 26-touchdown season the following year. He played for offensive coach Bill O'Brien and had a safety valve in DeAndre Hopkins. Those 2018 Texans finished 11-5 and lost in the wild-card round. Love's first go-around did not earn the Packers a playoff spot, but he threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns once he was finally handed the reins three seasons into his career. Advertisement Then there was Mahomes, whose launch has no comparison. He absorbed Andy Reid's offense for a year, then threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns, pushing Tom Brady's New England Patriots to the brink in the AFC Championship Game. It does not seem like hyperbole to say that the talent around him is analogous to what the Vikings offer. Two elite tackles, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, protected Mahomes. He was also throwing to two dynamic weapons in Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Expecting McCarthy to produce anywhere near the level Mahomes did would be foolish. Watson's second season gives a roadmap for the loftiest expectations. Anything close to that would conjure Daunte Culpepper's impressive foray into the NFL a quarter of a century ago. Those 2000 Vikings earned 11 victories, won a playoff game and competed for an NFC title. Chart a similar path, and McCarthy will warrant even more airtime from pundits like Eisen.
