Questions Answered: FloresMania, Hitman’s Future, Offseason Stuff
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the February 6th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Questions Answered: FloresMania, Hitman’s Future, Offseason Stuff
Q: Is Brian Flores the best guy the Vikings could’ve hired as defensive coordinator?
A: It’s probably a toss-up between Brian Flores and Ejiro Evero; both would’ve been phenomenal hires.
Just be thankful that the Vikings ended up with one of those men. Had Flores earned the Arizona Cardinals heading coaching job, the Vikings may have been forced to start from scratch with all their DC candidates off the board.
In the end, Minnesota got its man, and Flores has a documented track record of making defenses flourish. This is one to get really, really excited about.
Q: Do you think Harrison Smith will be back in 2023?
A: Our prediction is yes.
Smith may have to take a paycut, but we do not foresee the 34-year-old leaving. You can be sure he’s “nearing the end,” but he’s close enough to the finish line that he can just retire with the Vikings relatively soon.
Let’s hope the Flores hire on defense can propel Minnesota to a Super Bowl and maybe even send Smith into retirement on the most positive note of them all.
On the other hand, we do not expect Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks to return, while Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook are large mysteries.
Q: What’s the first offseason transaction you expect to happen for the Vikings?
A: The first offseason domino is Kirk Cousins’ contract. He’s usually extended by a year or two, and that’s the first thing to happen.
However, the Vikings could reasonably let Cousins’ contract play out in 2023, so we’re on “Cousins Watch” to see if an extension occurs. Otherwise, we believe the releases of Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks will act as the first noteworthy transactions of the Vikings offseason.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.