The Vikings on Sunday interviewed the first of multiple candidates for their head coach opening, confirming that they spoke with Packers Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf told media members last week that the search for head coach wouldn’t be rushed – and that hiring a general manager would come first – but that the search would be expansive.
Minnesota is among eight teams currently with a vacancy at head coach, including Las Vegas, which finished its season with Rich Bisaccia as interim head coach.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando ranked those openings from most desirable to least, and he slated the Vikings at No. 2 behind the Broncos. Sando opined that Denver, Minnesota and Las Vegas have the “best chances for success” of the eight teams. He wrote:
The Vikings and Raiders already have decent veteran quarterbacks. Minnesota has some higher-end personnel pieces, including receiver Justin Jefferson, and ownership there has given its coaches and GMs ample time/latitude to build the roster. George Paton’s presence as the Broncos GM was seen as a positive. There was also some thought Denver could be in position to make a play for Aaron Rodgers if the Packers quarterback pushes for a trade.
Sando anonymously quoted a league executive, who said the following:
“I would put Minnesota over Vegas because in Vegas, you still have [Patrick] Mahomes and [Justin] Herbert right there with you in the division, whereas the NFC North is pretty weak. You have good resources in Minnesota, and whether or not you like [Kirk] Cousins, you can win with him, and I don’t think [Derek] Carr is any better.”
Sando put the Bears, Dolphins and Giants into a “probably more bad than good” category.
