3 candidates to be the next Vikings defensive coordinator

Adam Zimmer

Nepotism at it’s finest. Adam Zimmer has been heavily rumored to be a favorite to become his father’s new defensive coordinator.

Adam currently coaches the Vikings linebackers and that is definitely a positive to have on your resume. Eric Kendricks was an absolute stud this year, Anthony Barr had another great season, and Eric Wilson was also very good. Zimmer has to be given some credit for that unit’s stellar overall play, as he is their position coach after all.

If the younger Zimmer were hired to be the new defensive coordinator for Minnesota, many people would write this off as a father doing a favor for his son. Truth is, that Adam Zimmer has been a coach in the NFL for a long time.

He started with the New Orleans Saints, went on to the Kansas City Chiefs, his dad then brought him to Cincinnati to be the assistant defensive backs coach when he was the defensive coordinator for the Bengals, and then he took him to Minnesota when he became the head coach of the Vikings.

So the guy has put the time in and he has plenty of experience. He also was a coach at the East-West Shrine Game last year, so he does even have a little experience in a role that requires some more responsibilities.

Having Adam Zimmer become the defensive coordinator for the Vikings would work. He has been taking commands from his father all his life, so listening to his father’s play-calls and game plans and implementing those each week would be something he’s been used to.

He’s been on the Vikings’ staff for six seasons, so the transition would be a smooth one. With his father also being in charge of the whole team, and the innovator of Minnesota’s defense, maybe the head coach would be more willing to listen to changes, tweaks, or suggestions if they were coming from his own kid rather than another coach.