Vikings Now Have Multiple Key Hires to Make on Their Coaching Staff

Daronte Jones' departure opens another critical role on the Vikings' staff.

Kevin O'Connell and Brian Flores | Images Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

On Monday, the Washington Commanders hired Vikings defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Daronte Jones to be their next defensive coordinator under head coach Dan Quinn. It's a well-deserved and inevitable promotion for Jones, who has been Brian Flores' top lieutenant and interviewed with at least five teams for their DC openings in this cycle.

What it means is that the Vikings now have multiple key hires to make on their coaching staff this offseason. In addition to losing Jones, the team announced earlier this month that offensive line coach Chris Kuper's contract had expired and would not be renewed. Assistant head coach Mike Pettine retired, and there might be some drama there.

Then there's defensive line coach Marcus Dixon, who also has an expired contract and recently interviewed with the Cowboys for the same role. And back in mid-December, the Vikings lost safeties coach Michael Hutchings, who accepted the defensive coordinator job at Cal.

The vacancy at offensive line coach will get the most fanfare, as that's the easiest one from which to judge results. While it's maybe not this simple in reality, the O-line coach will look good if the O-line is playing well. Of course, the opposite is also true, which is why Kuper took plenty of heat at times over the past four years. The Vikings could promote from within and elevate assistant OL coach Keith Carter, who was a primary OL coach for the Titans and Jets from 2018-24, but fans wouldn't necessarily be thrilled by that idea. Former Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith is another name to watch, provided he doesn't just follow Mike McDaniel to the Chargers.

Defensively, Flores and company may have three hires to make. They need a new defensive backs coach, who might also have the title of passing game coordinator. Hutchings would've been an internal promotion candidate, but he's off to the college level. Another promotion candidate, assuming Dixon is gone, could be assistant defensive line coach Imarjaye Albury, who has been with the Vikings since the Mike Zimmer era.

Here's a look at where the staff currently stands:

Offense

• Head coach: Kevin O'Connell
• Offensive coordinator: Wes Phillips
• Assistant head coach: VACANT
• Quarterbacks: Josh McCown
• Assistant QBs/assistant OC: Jordan Traylor
• Offensive line: VACANT
• Assistant OL: Keith Carter
• Tight ends/passing game coordinator: Brian Angelichio
• Wide receivers: Keenan McCardell
• Assistant WRs: Tony Sorrentino
• Running backs/run game coordinator: Curtis Modkins
• Game management coordinator/passing game specialist: Ryan Cordell
• Senior offensive assistant: Chris O'Hara
• Offensive assistant: Ben Ellefson
• Offensive quality control: Derron Montgomery
• Assistant to the head coach: Henry Schneider IV

Defense and special teams

• Defensive coordinator: Brian Flores
• Special teams coordinator: Matt Daniels
• Assistant special teams: Dalmin Gibson
• Defensive backs/passing game coordinator: VACANT
• Inside linebackers: Mike Siravo
• Outside linebackers: Thad Bogardus
• Assistant OLBs: Patrick Hill
• Defensive line: VACANT
• Assistant DL: Imarjaye Albury
• Safeties: VACANT
• Defensive assistant: Charlie Frye
• Defensive quality control: Chenzo Funari

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