Hue Jackson to the Vikings in 2019? Oh it is very possible

The former Cleveland Browns head coach is reportedly a candidate to be the new offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings in 2019.

For 2019, the Minnesota Vikings have a bunch of tasks to take care of on their offseason to-do list. One of these includes finding a permanent solution to be the team’s offensive coordinator.

Interim offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski is expected to get a fair shot at the opening, but the Vikings will also be meeting with other potential candidates over the next few weeks. One person who is reportedly in the running for the job is Hue Jackson according to Jason La Canfora on Wednesday.

Yes, that Hue Jackson.

Last seen as an assistant on the Cincinnati Bengals’ coaching staff following his tenure as the Cleveland Browns head coach coming to an end during the middle of the season, Jackson is not someone who currently generates a huge amount of excitement among football fans whenever his name is mentioned.

However, he does have experience in running an NFL offense and he and Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer have worked together in the past. The two spent 2007 on the coaching staff of the Atlanta Falcons and then they became co-workers once again with the Bengals in 2012 and 2013.

Even when they haven’t been on the same coaching staff, the two have kept in contact over the years. Last year, Jackson revealed how Zimmer was one of the guys who helped him keep his head up when things were going horribly in Cleveland.

As much as this could just be another offseason rumor for people to discuss, Jackson becoming the Vikings’ new offensive coordinator in 2019 seems like a very real possibility.

Not only does he have past experience in running an offense, but he also has head coaching experience, something that has become a trend among Zimmer’s past assistant coaching hires.

As the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders in 2010 and for Cincinnati in 2014 and 2015, Jackson’s offenses ranked among the top seven in rushing attempts per game and the among top 13 in rushing yards per game. Something that should intrigue Zimmer when he considers adding Jackson to his coaching staff for 2019.

Underwhelming Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton also had arguably his best season in 2015 with Jackson as his offensive coordinator. Dalton only appeared in 12 full contests that year, but his 16-game averages had him on pace to finish with 4,255 yards, 33 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

So as much as Jackson was a complete failure as the head coach of the Browns, he could actually be the perfect fit for what Minnesota is looking for in their next offensive coordinator.