While the Minnesota Vikings continue to negotiate with Brian Flores to return for another season as the team's defensive coordinator, one of their assumed backup plans for him is also drawing interest from another team.
ESPN's Todd Archer shared on Thursday that the Dallas Cowboys have reportedly put in a request to meet with current Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones for their defensive coordinator vacancy.
In addition, the New York Jets have done the same thing and made a request to meet with Jones about their own defensive coordinator opening, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
If Flores were to leave for a head-coaching job or a position with another team this offseason, Jones is believed to be among the few who Minnesota would potentially promote to be the team's new defensive coordinator. With Thursday's news, that replacement plan now seems to be in jeopardy.
Belief still that Brian Flores would only leave Minnesota Vikings to become a head coach
While there has been plenty of speculation about Flores possibly leaving the Vikings this year since his contract with the team is set to expire in the very near future, the belief is that an exit will only happen if he's offered to become a head coach in the NFL again.
On Thursday, KSTP's Darren Wolfson appeared on SKOR North's "Purple Daily" and expressed these exact thoughts about Flores's future.
"I think if [Flores] is a defensive coordinator in 2026, it's here in Minnesota. I think the Wilfs are willing to pay.”
There is no limit when it comes to paying coaches in the NFL, so Minnesota doesn't have to worry about having enough cap space or anything like that when determining how much they would be willing to pay Flores to stick around.
If the Vikings are smart, they'll give him pretty much whatever he wants, as he's played a large role in just about every game that the team won since his arrival.
This past season, specifically, it's very easy to make the argument that Minnesota would not have finished with nine wins if Flores wasn't the guy running the team's defense.
It still isn't a guarantee that he will return for the 2026 season (especially since he just landed an interview for one of the top head coach openings in the NFL), but the possibility of him remaining with the Vikings still exists, and at this point, that's all fans can really ask for.