The Minnesota Vikings are patiently waiting out the NFL coaching carousel, hoping defensive coordinator Brian Flores does not get hired so they can bring him back for the 2026 season. However, Kevin O’Connell could lose another member of the Vikings coaching staff to the Green Bay Packers.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Packers have requested permission to interview Minnesota pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones.
Related: Latest on Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Search, 2 Candidates Emerge
Jones, age 47, is in high demand this offseason. Green Bay is the fourth team with a defensive coordinator vacancy that has sought to interview him, joining the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. He has already met in person with the Jets and Cowboys, and requests from the Giants and Packers are unlikely to be rejected since it would be a promotion.
It puts the Vikings in a challenging spot. Flores is a free agent who has already taken head coaching interviews with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, and he talked to the Washington Commanders about their defensive coordinator vacancy. The longer Minnesota waits, the higher the risk of Jones being hired by another team as defensive coordinator. It creates a scenario where O’Connell could lose both his defensive play-caller and the top internal candidate to replace Flores.
Related: Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Candidates to Replace Jeff Hafley
Jones joined the Vikings coaching staff in 2022 as defensive backs coach before being promoted to defensive pass game coordinator in 2023 when Flores came in as defensive coordinator. Prior to that, he served as the LSU Tigers defensive coordinator in 2021 and had stints on staffs with the Vikings (2020), Cincinnati Bengals (2018-19) and Miami Dolphins (2016-17).
It is worth noting that because the Flores contract expired this offseason, Minnesota would not receive compensatory third-round picks in the next two drafts under the Rooney Rule if he were hired as a head coach.
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As for Green Bay, head coach Matt LaFleur is moving quickly to find his replacement for Jeff Hafley. If the team request is approved, Jones would be the second known candidate brought in to interview to become the Packers defensive coordinator. Hafley could also pull one of the assistants from the Packers coaching staff away—either defensive line coach and run game coordinator DeMarcus Covington or passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley—to become the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator.
