New Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said that when he took over the team he would be making a lot of changes.
Those changes have started, with the shake up on the offensive side of the ball.
QB Coach Kevin Rogers, Offensive Line Coach Pat Morris and Assistant Offensive Line Coach Jim Hueber got their walking papers, and interim defensive coordinator Fred Pagac will more than likely be named permanent defensive coordinator.
As for his offensive counterpart Darrell Bevell, there seems to be an air of uncertainity about him. He's still on the staff, but former Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels---you know, the guy that ran Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall out of town--is being interviewed for the offensive coordinator job. He produced as the OC in New England in 2007, when the Patriots went on their historic run, and that lead to him getting the Broncos gig. Was McDaniels an innovative play caller, or did he benefit from the caliber of players he had in New England? For Bevell, it has to be a weird situation to be in. He hasn't been fired, but he will probably be asked to take a different, lesser position on the staff, like maybe QB coach. It might be awkward for Bevell to stay on staff in a diminished role.
Another big name that is on his way to Minnesota for an interview is Mike SIngletary, the recently fired head coach of San Francisco. Singletary was a very good assistant as a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator, and when his name was first being bandied about as a head coach, I was all on board for him being named the Vikes head coach. With Singletary and Frazier being former teammates in Chicago, I kind of view the interview as a mere formality before being introduced as a member of the staff, and I like it. His first gig didn't work out, but I think he'll be a good addition to the Vikings staff, as will McDaniels.
I like what Frazier is doing. He can bring in guys who have been head coaches, and no disrespect to SIngletary or McDaniels, he can be frank with them and ask them where they went wrong, and try to avoid those mistakes, while at the same time helping them rehab their images so they can compete for another head coaching gig in the future.
It will be interesting to see how the Vikings approach free agency and the draft, and whether or not they re-sign some key free agents, like Sidney Rice and Chad Greenway.
If these early coaching moves parallel what the Vikings will do to address the roster, I like the way they're going.
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