Neal: Vikings face no matter more important than the future of defensive coordinator Brian Flores

The Vikings are headed into a critical offseason in a number of ways. They need to restructure the interior offensive line, remodel most of the defensive secondary, determine who will be in their quarterback room and sign the head coach and, possibly, the general manager to contract extensions.

It is a lengthy to-do list. But there is one development that could lead to a challenge greater than all the aforementioned tasks combined.

And that is responding to the departure of defensive coordinator Brian Flores, whose name is swirling around the current hiring cycle.

Flores interviewed with the Bears for their head coaching vacancy on Saturday, a day after interviewing with the Jets. He is also expected to interview with the Jaguars, and there could be opportunities with more teams, such as the Raiders, down the road.

After coaching the Dolphins for three seasons, going 24-25 from 2019-21, he has earned another shot at a head coaching role. He’s going to have to explain how things went sideways with Tua Tagovailoa there, but his coaching chops are unquestioned.

Flores has been the perfect complement to head coach Kevin O’Connell. The offensive whiz and defensive genius yinged and yanged the Vikings to success few expected when the marriage was made in 2022. This year’s Vikings team was fueled by a defense that was second in average rushing yards allowed and tied for fourth in sacks.

And Flores did it with mostly a combination of key players left over from Mike Zimmer’s regime and free-agent signings.

Flores was the mastermind, able to identify advantages and communicate to his players how to execute accordingly. He taught technique, instilled aggressiveness and was the force behind the identity the Vikings displayed on Sundays. The defense’s signature win occurred Dec. 10, 2023, when the Vikings squeaked out a 3-0 victory at Las Vegas. Following the game, the locker room roared when O’Connell told the players, “This is a championship defense.”

It was B-Flo. Doing work.

“When you’ve played as long as I have, you don’t feel great every day,” veteran safety Harrison Smith said Monday following the playoff loss to the Rams. ”But playing, especially this year in this defense — some of the most fun I’ve had. And that starts with [Flores].”

Of the six Vikings named to the Pro Bowl, three were defensive players. Flores also turned Josh Metellus into a hard-hitting omni-back, able to line up anywhere on the field. Ivan Pace thrived under Flores' tutelage.

Flores' impact can’t be underestimated. After the signing of Marcus Davenport before the 2023 season flopped, Flores went to General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah before the 2024 free-agent cycle. Flores wanted Jonathan Greenard. He wanted Andrew Van Ginkel. After watching tape of Blake Cashman, Flores advocated for him, too. Adofo-Mensah, like a good GM should, gave his coach the players he wanted.

And look what the master chef created with his desired ingredients.

The Vikings need to have a Flores succession plan in place. They could opt for continuity and promote defensive backs/defensive passing game coordinator Daronte Jones to the role. Jones could run the same scheme, or he might follow Flores to his new team. The Vikings need to be prepared to jump into the hiring pool for a new coordinator. O’Connell does have solid connections throughout the league.

Free agents such as Byron Murphy Jr., Camryn Bynum, Jonathan Bullard and others might decline to return if Flores leaves — or Flores might take a couple of them with him.

Smith is pondering whether to return for a 14th season, and how the Vikings handle Flores' departure could affect his decision. If Smith retires, the Vikings lose a mentor and the rock of their defense as well as Flores. And reports circulated late in the week that quarterbacks coach Josh McCown could be Flores' offensive coordinator.

Flores deserves another shot at being a head coach to prove he’s evolved since his experience in Miami. The Vikings can’t stand in his way.

But the Vikings are one transaction away from having to replace someone who knows defense, how to teach it, how to identify the right players to run it, how to motivate them and who might take coaches and players with him to his next team.

Figuring out next season’s starting cornerbacks would be the least of the Vikings’ worries.