The Dallas Cowboys are hopefully entering their final game with Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator. If you've paid attention to what Jerry Jones has told the media for the past month, it seems like he's already made up his mind that he will fire Eberflus after the season.
The hope is that Jones will get out of the way and let Brian Schottenheimer hire his own DC. Regardless, stealing Brian Flores from the Minnesota Vikings should be Dallas' foremost priority.
Arguably the best defensive coordinator in the NFL, Flores' contract runs out after the season. While the Vikings would love to keep Flores, he beat around the bush when he was asked if he wants to return to Minnesota.
"I love Minnesota. I love this team. I love working for and with KO (head coach Kevin O'Connell). He's been fantastic to me. I think the Wilfs are some of the best owners in the league. I love these players, the coaching staff. And like I said, [Minnesota] has shown me a lot of love, and I show it right back. So I don't know how much more there is to it.
I mean, if everything lines up and it fits, you know, from a football standpoint, it fits. I think there's always a, let's call it a business part of this. The football all lines up and we'll just see where it all goes."
Cowboys should be circling after Brian Flores refuses to committ to the Vikings in 2026
Flores could have ended any and all speculation about his speculation had he answered with a simple "yes" about returning to the Vikings. Instead, he cracked the door wide open for a potential exit, and that should have the Cowboys' full attention.
All told, it was a smart PR move by Flores. Even if staying in Minnesota is his preferred outcome, it wouldn't benefit him to come out and say that. He's going to be the most sought-after defensive coordinator this offseason, and he's likely to get a few head coaching interviews.
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The question is, why would Flores leave a good thing with the Vikings for a lateral move to the Cowboys? The answer is money. He should be compensated among the top DCs in football. If Minnesota doesn't pony up, he will leave, even if it means taking the same job elsewhere.
Landing Flores will require Jerry Jones to step outside his comfort zone. Jones is notorious for cheaping out on coaches, though it's worth noting that he made Mike Zimmer the second-highest-paid defensive coordinator in the NFL in 2024 with a $4 million salary.
If Jones is as serious about fixing the defense as he claims, he won't have any issue paying Flores what he wants. It's exactly like Stephon Gilmore said: The Cowboys will "instantly become playoff contenders next year" if they bring in Flores to coach the defense.