No coach in the NFL has a better grasp of Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme than Daronte Jones — and the Green Bay Packers are well aware of that.
As the Vikings’ defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator, Jones is not just an understudy to Flores. He’s one of the few holdovers after Ed Donatell’s firing in 2023 and was also on staff with Mike Zimmer. Minnesota values Jones, who Flores views as a peer and is primed for a coordinator position in the future.
“I know a lot of people kind of think it’s all me,” Flores said, per The Minnesota Star Tribune. “It certainly isn’t. Those guys, they put a lot of work in. I tell ‘em all the time: I don’t care where a good idea comes from. They present them, and we go out there and coach it and the players execute it. I can’t give those guys enough credit.”
The word is out. And while Flores has been one of the buzziest candidates this hiring cycle, Jones has had an eventful offseason as well, which reached its coda on Tuesday, January 20.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Packers, after watching defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley take the Miami Dolphins head coach job, requested an interview with Jones.
Considered the Vikings’ Plan B if Flores leaves, Jones has interviewed with the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets and has a request from the New York Giants as well, per Rapoport.
Vikings Facing Nightmare Scenario With Brian Flores, Daronte Jones
Jones’ reputation precedes him this hiring cycle.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reported on January 16 that Jones left one executive from an interview last year raving about his interview, “saying he believed Jones would soon become a defensive coordinator.”
From Lewis:
The clear internal candidate is Daronte Jones, who has served as the team’s defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach under Flores.
Jones, 47, is respected by players. He knows the ins and outs of Flores’ system, and he was LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2021. He also has experience working for Mike Zimmer, Lou Anarumo and Teryl Austin, giving him a deep understanding of different schemes and teaching styles.
But Flores isn’t the only assistant able to meet with other teams. Jones can, too. He has already interviewed for the defensive coordinator positions with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets. Subsequent head coaching hires could create more opportunities. If the Vikings are convinced they’d want Jones to replace Flores, they must manage the situation with foresight and alertness. Losing both would add even more uncertainty to an offseason full of it.
Vikings’ QB Decision Hinges on Brian Flores’ Fate
While Flores and Jones fielded a borderline top-five defense for a second consecutive season, the Vikings offense took a serious step backward by hitching its hopes to J.J. McCarthy.
The mandate this offseason is to build a deeper quarterback room that can weather the injuries it faced during the 2025 season.
However, who fills the room could come down to whether Flores returns.
In a January 12 column, Pioneer Press reporter Jace Frederick appraised the Vikings’ defense that is not just facing losing its top decision makers, but also several veteran talents.
Frederick argued that if the Vikings defense expects to take a step back, McCarthy would have more leeway as a starter next season for a team that will have tempered expectations.
However, if Flores returns, the Vikings will surely remain all-in on making the playoffs and will find a quarterback who can carry the team if McCarthy cannot.
“If Flores is back and Minnesota feels it again has the personnel to compete, then quarterback insurance — at minimum — must be acquired. You cannot punt on potential contention for a second straight season in the name of a single player’s development that might not bear fruit,” Frederick wrote. “When the time ultimately comes this spring to make a decision on the quarterback room, O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah should spend less time reflecting and more evaluating the other side of the ball.
“If they again believe they have a championship-level defense, a move must be made under center, whether that’s through free agency or trade, regardless of the assets required to upgrade,” Frederick added. “When it comes to the future of J.J. McCarthy, perhaps it’s Flores who truly holds the keys.”
Packers Prepared to Poach Vikings’ Brian Flores Replacement