NFC foe 'firmly in play' to poach Vikings' Brian Flores as DC, per report

What does the future hold for Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores?

Minnesota's incredible defensive performance on a national stage against the Lions on Christmas Day has reignited conversations about where Flores will be coaching in 2026. He could be a candidate for a head coaching gig, even if his ongoing lawsuit against the NFL and his somewhat unsuccessful stint as the Dolphins' head coach may give teams pause. After not getting another head coaching job in the last two cycles, this could theoretically be the year Flores gets his second shot at leading a team, simply due to how impressive his scheme has been in his three-year Vikings tenure.

If Flores doesn't wind up as a head coach somewhere, it's not a sure thing that he'll be back in Minnesota for a fourth year as DC under Kevin O'Connell. His contract expires after this season, so he can essentially be a free agent defensive coordinator if he chooses to be. And while the Vikings would love to keep him, there may be other teams lurking who could create a bidding war for his services.

One of those, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, might be the Dallas Cowboys. Florio recently described the Cowboys as a team "lurking" for Flores and said that "the increasing chatter in league circles is that the Cowboys will be firmly in play for Flores." It seems like a foregone conclusion that Dallas will fire DC Matt Eberflus after a disaster of a season on that side of the ball.

Florio also said he's told that the Vikings are "keenly aware of the possibility."

It's going to be fascinating to see what happens with Flores, who has stated his case as the best defensive coordinator in the league over the past three years. Since 2023, only the Browns and Texans have been better in terms of opponent Expected Points Added (EPA) per play. The Vikings were 17th in opponent EPA per play in 2023 but jumped to 2nd last season and are 4th this year. Flores' uniquely complex and aggressive scheme has helped all kinds of players emerge as stars, including unheralded names like Eric Wilson and Jalen Redmond this year.

In order to keep Flores, assuming he doesn't land a HC job, the Vikings may need to make him one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in the league — if not the highest-paid person in his role. That would be especially true if Jerry Jones or another owner decides to drive up the price by making Flores a lucrative offer for what would be a lateral move.

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