Pelissero Floats Another Name to Know for Vikings' OL Coach Vacancy

With the Vikings getting close to having total clarity on the Brian Flores situation, there appears to be a good chance the most important hire they'll have to make this offseason will be at offensive line coach. Last weekend, the team announced that OL coach Chris Kuper's contract has expired and will not be renewed, and that the search for his replacement is underway.

One potential candidate we've brought up is former Falcons O-line coach Dwayne Ledford, who has proven to be excellent in that role. But the Vikings should have plenty of options as they look around the league and end up doing interviews, as NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero mentioned this week on KFAN's The Power Trip.

"I was surprised that Chris Kuper was let go as the offensive line coach," Pelissero said. "That wasn't on my radar. I don't get the sense that it was on (Kuper's) radar either. But there's gonna be, when you look at what the Vikings are working with, when you look at the respect that Kevin O'Connell commands within the league, I think he's gonna have options."

Pelissero mentioned that the process could take a bit while the Vikings wait for dominoes to fall across the league. Various teams are in the process of hiring not only new head coaches, but then filling out their staffs afterwards. Once that happens, there could be some former offensive coordinators who find themselves without an OC job in 2026.

"One of the things that I would point out is ... there's still enough dominoes here that some of those, let's say the in-limbo offensive coordinator candidates are still waiting to see, all right, am I gonna go be at OC somewhere," Pelissero said, "or am I potentially gonna go and be a position coach or have some type of an elevated title?"

He then floated one name to watch: Former Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith. With Jeff Hafley replacing Mike McDaniel as Miami's head coach, Smith will presumably end up looking for a new job elsewhere this offseason.

Frank Smith and Mike McDaniel | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"One name that would jump to mind would be Frank Smith, who's been the offensive coordinator with the Dolphins, has been one of the most highly regarded coordinators," Pelissero said. "He was named the number one coordinator in an NFLPA poll a couple of years ago. He well could be an OC, depending on who gets some of these head coaching jobs. If he's not, he's always been a respected offensive line coach.

"You know, somebody like that. I don't think that Kevin O'Connell is just gonna go and hire a first-timer. This is a team that's ready to roll. I would think you'd want somebody with experience, somebody who can work with players. That's just one name, Frank Smith, but I would say that certainly (O'Connell is) gonna be looking and he's gonna have options just because of the situation and the environment that they've got in Minnesota."

Smith, who turns 45 next month, got his start in the NFL as the Saints' assistant offensive line coach under Sean Payton in 2010. After five seasons in that role, he was the tight ends coach for the Bears and the Raiders for three seasons apiece. Smith was the O-line coach and run game coordinator for the Chargers in 2021 before spending four years as the Dolphins' OC under McDaniel.

It's worth noting that McDaniel has proven to be one of the best run-game designers in the NFL. If Smith doesn't land an OC job elsewhere (or follow McDaniel wherever he ends up), he could be a great potential hire for the Vikings as OL coach and run game coordinator.

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