Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Vikings Fire DC Ed Donatell

The Vikings announced in a statement from head coach Kevin O’Connell today that the team “will be going in a different direction at defensive coordinator in 2023,” effecting the termination of this past season’s defensive play-caller, Ed Donatell.

O’Connell’s first year at the helm in Minnesota was widely successful, resulting in both the team’s first 13-win season and first division championship since the 2017 NFL season. Despite the team success, the Vikings were limited throughout the year by a struggling defense, led by Donatell. The Vikings defensive unit tied for third worst in the league in points allowed and allowed the second most yards on defense in the NFL, trailing Detroit by only 62 yards. The group was perhaps saved at times by tying for eighth in the league in turnovers forced.

Donatell chose to join O’Connell’s staff over a lesser role with the Seahawks last offseason. Minnesota looked at a couple of would be first-time defensive coordinators before eventually settling on Donatell, counting on his vast experience on the defensive side of the ball to go along with O’Connell’s offensive expertise.

Donatell had 11 seasons under his belt as a defensive coordinator, the most recent three before this season taking place in Denver. During that period, the Broncos defense often posted stellar numbers, although much of this was credited to the head coach at the time, Vic Fangio, who called plays for the defense. Donatell’s play-calling duties this season were called into question amidst the unit’s struggles, but O’Connell put those calls to rest.

In his statement today, O’Connell asserted that the team “will immediately begin (their) search to fill” Donatell’s now empty role. The answer could simply be in-house as assistant head coach Mike Pettine has several years of experience as a coordinator. Pettine’s presence on staff during this year’s struggles might be hard to overlook, though.

O’Connell and company may stray away from their initial preference towards experience and contact Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver or Packers offensive consultant Aubrey Pleasant, both of whom were considered for the role last year. The team also looked last year into Seahawks defensive assistant Sean Desai, who has one season as a defensive coordinator under his belt.

Chargers GM Expresses Support For Brandon Staley, Decision To Play Starters In Week 18

Speculation swirled about Brandon Staley‘s employment status ahead of the Chargers-Jaguars wild-card game and following his team’s 27-point collapse, but the Bolts will keep their head coach for a third season.

Eleventh-year GM Tom Telesco said Staley was never on shaky ground. Rumors connected the Chargers to Sean Payton, who has been connected to this job for a while. The Los Angeles-stationed FOX analyst will need to accept another position or wait until 2024 for the AFC’s Los Angeles gig to potentially open up, however.

That was probably more [media] discussion than ours,” Telesco said of Staley’s hot-seat status, via ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry. “The front office’s belief in Brandon hasn’t changed. He’s got our belief. Our players believe in him. He’s a tremendous leader.”

The Payton matter has lingered for a while, but the Chargers’ past two games accelerated rumblings of a firing. The Chargers’ decision to play their starters in Week 18 ended up being costly, with Mike Williams suffering a transverse process fracture — an injury discovered late last week — that prevented him from making the trip to Jacksonville.

Los Angeles totaled three second-half points in the third-biggest collapse in playoff history, and the team lost wideout DeAndre Carter during the Jaguars matchup. Staley’s decision to play starters against the Broncos in their regular-season finale was believed to be an organizational decision. Many Chargers staffers knew this was the plan, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who indicated everyone was onboard with Staley’s call (video link). Telesco confirmed as much Thursday. “Brandon kind of mapped out what his plan was and yeah, I’m going to support that,” Telesco said.

Staley, 40, is 19-15 with the Chargers, who have continued to battle injuries under his watch. Several big-ticket players missed extended stretches for the team this season, extending a trend that persisted during multiple previous Bolts regimes. Staley’s seat stands to be hot in 2023, as the Chargers have not ranked inside the top 20 on defense — the third-year HC’s side of the ball. But the Chargers gave both Mike McCoy and Anthony Lynn four seasons apiece.

The Chargers have made some changes in the wake of that loss. They fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day. Staley cited the offense needing to reach a new gear, and Telesco said (via Thiry) Justin Herbert will have input as to who the team hires as its next play-caller. While the team is not planning any contract talks with Herbert until after Super Bowl LVII, at least, it will entrust Herbert with contributing to this big-picture decision. Herbert became extension-eligible this month but can be controlled through the 2024 season, via the fifth-year option the Bolts will exercise in May.

As for the Chargers’ OC plans, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen notes Frank Reich makes sense as a candidate (Twitter link). Reich was with the Chargers for three seasons under McCoy, and he served as their OC from 2014-15. Reich has booked HC interviews with the Cardinals and Panthers; the former Colts HC has ties to each of those teams as well. The Rams have been connected to Reich as a potential OC, making it fairly clear the respected coach will have options in the event he is unable to snag one of the available HC jobs.

One candidate the Bolts wanted to meet with has cut off a potential partnership. Vikings OC Wes Phillips rejected a Bolts interview request, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Phillips, who just finished his first year as Minnesota’s OC, holds a non-play-calling role with the team. While calling Herbert-run plays will be a draw for OC candidates, Fowler notes Phillips will stay with the Vikings.

Lastly, the Chargers fired linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite, Daniel Popper of The Athletic tweets. A former NFL linebacker, Wilhoite had been with the Bolts for two seasons. This marked the 36-year-old staffer’s first gig coaching a position; he worked as a lower-level Saints assistant before heading to L.A.

Patriots Interview Bill O’Brien For OC Job, To Meet With Keenan McCardell

Rumored to be the favorite for the Patriots’ offensive coordinator gig, Bill O’Brien has now met with the team. The Alabama OC interviewed with the Patriots on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

O’Brien emerged as a contender for this job before the Pats’ season ended, and a report earlier this week indicated he is the favorite. The former Texans HC coming back to New England would continue a trend, as Bill Belichick rehired the likes of Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge following their initial dismissals as HCs.

Like McDaniels at the time of his New England return, O’Brien has experience running the Pats’ offense. While McDaniels was in Denver and St. Louis, O’Brien took over as Belichick’s top offensive assistant. He finished his New England tenure with the official title of offensive coordinator, something Belichick did not give Patricia this year — despite the ex-Lions HC being the Pats’ primary play-caller. After Belichick placing a career-long defensive coach in this role predictably backfired, the Pats are operating intently with their OC search this time around.

This search is different from the most recent such pursuits. Belichick promoted McDaniels to OC in 2006 and elevated O’Brien from the position coach level to OC in 2011. Thus far, the Pats have reached out to a few outside staffers. The team conducting an official search mandates an interview with at least one external minority candidate. Thus far, the Patriots have three on their radar.

Keenan McCardell, the Vikings’ receivers coach for the past two seasons, is expected to interview for the job today, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. The team sent out an interview request to the former Belichick Browns wideout Thursday. The Pats are planning to meet with Cardinals receivers coach Shawn Jefferson on Friday and have interviewed Oregon assistant Adrian Klemm. All three also have a history with Belichick — either in New England or Cleveland. The other candidate here, Pats tight ends coach Nick Caley, has been with the team for eight years. Caley has also interviewed with the Jets this week.

With the O’Brien interview done, this process looks like it will wrap soon. He has a few factors working in his favor. Even though O’Brien, 53, was not in place as Alabama’s OC during Mac Jones‘ career, the current Pats quarterback helped the coach learn the Alabama offense following his hire. Patriots ownership is also fond of O’Brien, who is a Massachusetts native. The Texans employed O’Brien as HC from 2014-20, firing him early in the 2020 season after his short GM stint did not go well. As a coach, however, O’Brien is 52-48 with four playoff appearances on his resume.

Latest On Extension Talks Between Vikings, WR Justin Jefferson

Justin Jefferson has put up historic numbers to begin his career, and the Vikings are naturally interested in keeping him for the long run. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah acknowledged today that the organization has had “preliminary conversations” with Jefferson’s camp about a long-term deal (via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Twitter).

ESPN’s Adam Schefter slightly pushed back at that report (on Twitter). A source told Schefter that while the two sides are expected to have contract talks this offseason, they haven’t officially started negotiations.

Either way, it sounds like the Vikings are prepared to pay to make Jefferson a long-term staple. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise; since entering the league as a 2020 first-round pick, Jefferson has averaged more than 100 receptions and 1,600 receiving yards per season. He took it to another level in 2022, finishing with 128 catches for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns (plus another score on the ground) en route to his first career first-team All-Pro nod. Jefferson also set an NFL record for most receiving yards through a player’s first three seasons.

Considering Jefferson’s youth and prolific production, there’s a good chance he’ll set at least one new contract benchmark at wide receiver. Davante Adams‘ contract leads the way with $140MM, but Jefferson could also strive for a league-setting AAV (Tyreek Hill, $30MM), total guarantee (Cooper Kupp, $75MM), and/or full guarantee (A.J. Brown, $56.4MM).

Considering the impending financial investment, Adofo-Mensah described the situation as a “champagne problem” for the front office to deal with.

“I wouldn’t use the word challenge,” Adofo-Mensah said (via Andrew Kramer of the Star Tribune). “You got a special player, a special person. Those aren’t problems. Or at least those are champagne problems. So we’ll start there.

“We’ll get back to [contract talks] in the planning. It really starts from the player, the person and we’ll work on solutions from there on.”

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/18/23

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

  • DB Tristin McCollum

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter), there was a bit of competition for offensive lineman Kyle Hinton’s services. The 2020 seventh-round pick spent much of the season on the Vikings practice squad, and they looked to sign him to a reserve/futures contract. However, he ended up opting for the Falcons, who gave him an $100K signing bonus.

Pats To Interview Nick Caley, Adrian Klemm For OC Role, Request Keenan McCardell Meeting

3:22pm: A fourth candidate is now in the picture. Adrian Klemm, a former Steelers O-line coach who spent the 2022 season at Oregon, will interview for the Pats’ OC job, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Klemm has spent most of his career in the college ranks, having served as an O-line coach for SMU, UCLA and now Oregon, but was on Mike Tomlin‘s staff for three seasons.

The 45-year-old assistant has history with the Patriots, having been Belichick’s first draft choice (No. 46 overall) as New England’s HC back in 2000. A backup offensive lineman, Klemm played five of his six NFL seasons with the Pats.

10:02am: Nick Caley‘s docket now includes a second offensive coordinator interview. After he met with the Jets about their vacant play-calling role, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) the Patriots’ tight ends coach is interviewing for the New England gig.

Caley, who will meet with the Pats regarding a promotion Wednesday, has been with the team since 2015. In addition to their interest in promoting Caley, the Patriots also requested permission to interview Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Although Bill O’Brien is believed to be in the lead for the role, the Pats’ Caley interview will be their first for this position. After the team went through with one of the most surprising plans in modern offensive coordinator history this past season by having Matt Patricia serve as the primary play-caller, Bill Belichick is on board with making changes.

The Patriots moved Caley into their tight ends coach role back in 2017 but increased his role following Josh McDaniels‘ departure. While Caley served as a key assistant during a disappointing Pats season, the 39-year-old assistant has previously come up as a potential play-caller for the team. The Patriots have made a concerted effort to ensure Jerod Mayo does not depart. With the Jets now in the mix to poach Caley, will the Pats make a similar move to ensure he stays?

While McCardell is best known for his 17-year career as a wide receiver, he has been an assistant coach since 2010. Most of that work has come in the NFL. McCardell, 53, has served as a wide receivers coach in Washington, Jacksonville and Minnesota. Being the Jags’ wideouts coach from 2017-20, McCardell moved to the Vikings after the organization hired Urban Meyer last year. Despite the Vikings changing regimes this past offseason, Kevin O’Connell retained McCardell. The former Pro Bowler being Justin Jefferson‘s position coach will look pretty good on a resume, though ex-fifth-rounder K.J. Osborn posting 655- and 650-yard seasons over the past two years — after not catching a pass as a rookie in 2020 — also reflects well on McCardell.

McCardell also has a history with Belichick dating back to the latter’s Browns days. The Browns added McCardell in Belichick’s second season (1992) and rostered him for most of the next four seasons. McCardell used the 1995 season — Belichick’s Cleveland finale — as a springboard to a prominent Jaguars run.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/16/23

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Baltimore Ravens

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

  • DB A.J. Parker

Vikings C Garrett Bradbury To Return For Wild-Card Round

The Vikings’ offensive line will be in much better shape from a health perspective when they host the Giants later today compared to recent weeks. Starting center Garrett Bradbury will return to the lineup today, as detailed by Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The 27-year-old had been sidelined since Week 13 due to a lower back injury. The issue was sufficient to keep him from being able to suit up on its own, but as Tomasson notes, a minor car accident Bradbury was involved in shortly afterwards aggravated the injury. Fortunately for he and the team, however, he has recovered in time for the postseason.

The former first-rounder did not live up to expectations during the first three seasons of his career, leading Minnesota to decline his fifth-year option. Bradbury entered the season with questions surrounding his status as the team’s starter in the middle of the o-line, but he played nearly every snap this year prior to being shelved by the back issue. His improved play in year four was reflected by a career-best PFF grade of 70.2, the 10th-highest mark at the position.

In Bradbury’s absence, the Vikings had turned to Austin Schlottmann at center until he went down with a season-ending injury. That left Minnesota with third-stringer Chris Reed to close out the regular season and, if not for Bradbury’s return, to start today against New York. Now, though, the NC State product will be available to line up against Dexter Lawrence and the Giants’ defensive front after he practiced in full Thursday and Friday.

“[Bradbury] demonstrated a complete readiness to play this weekend,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said in advance of this afternoon’s contest. “I’m really excited about having Garrett back in there. He’s been huge for us all season long.”

Elsewhere on the offensive line, the Vikings received another piece of good news with swing tackle Blake Brandel being activated from IR yesterday. That will allow him to start at right tackle, the spot vacated by Brian O’Neill‘s partial Achilles tear. Oli Udoh had been playing in that spot, but Brandel had gotten the nod for three straight games before his IR stint. Overall, Minnesota should head into today’s game with better confidence in their front five than they had in recent contests.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/14/23

Today’s minor moves in advance of the second day of Super Wild-Card Weekend:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/11/23

Only one minor move to pass along this evening:

Minnesota Vikings

Brandel suffered an MCL injury in December that forced him to miss the final four games of the season. The 2020 sixth-round pick saw an increase in playing time prior to his injury, starting three games while filling in for Christian Darrisaw. Brian O’Neill is currently down with an injury, perhaps opening an opportunity for Brandel to play in the postseason.