Leslie Frazier Hired as Tampa Bay Defensive Coordinator

Nov 17, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Minnesota 41-20. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

You can stop worrying about Leslie Frazier. He’s fine. He has scored himself a new gig as defensive coordinator with his old friend Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay.

Rumors have it that Rod Marinelli was actually the first choice as DC in Tampa but I guess Marinelli didn’t want the gig so they went to #2 choice Frazier. Leslie served as defensive coordinator for a couple years in Minnesota before his ill-fated tenure as head coach. Years back he was DC with Cincinnati.

Frazier, a long-time devotee of the Tampa-2 defense, goes to the city that gave the defense its name. Now we wait to see if he tries to bring any of his former Minnesota assistants with him. The Vikings still have all those guys under contract, including Leslie’s friend Mike Singletary.

We can also speculate on which current Viking free agents might now look at Tampa Bay as an attractive destination because Leslie is there and will likely install a system similar to the one the Vikings ran. Jared Allen is a guy who might be a fit in Tampa. You also have to look at a guy like Erin Henderson who is likely done in Minnesota after his most recent DWI arrest. Frazier was always in Henderson’s corner and seems to like him as a Will backer in his scheme.

Then again, it’s not like Tampa necessarily needs a big infusion of talent. They have plenty of players there already, including some Pro Bowl types in Lavonte David, Darrelle Revis and Gerald McCoy. The cupboard is pretty stocked for Frazier, now he just needs to mold all that talent into a consistent unit.

He should be much happier as the DC, not having to deal with the media as much, not having to worry about big picture stuff, not having to manage game situations or make calls on things like throwing challenge flags. All that’s on Lovie. Frazier can just focus on what he really cares about, defensive Xs and Os.

It’s better that way, because he was just not good as a head coach.

Like The Viking Age on Facebook.
Follow TVA on Twitter.
Subsribe to the Fansided Daily Newsletter. Sports news all up in your inbox.