After firing their general manager, the Vikings quickly revamped their coaching staff, signaling that status quo is no longer acceptable.
The Minnesota Vikings sent shockwaves through the NFL world by firing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday. On Saturday, Minnesota brought in several new additions to its coaching staff.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the Vikings are adding former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith to their staff. Smith spent the past four seasons on Mike McDaniel's staff and helped the Dolphins rank 6th and 1st in total yards, respectively, in 2022 and 2023.
Minnesota is also hiring Keith Carter as their new offensive line coach. The Vikings didn't retain Chris Kuper, who held the position from 2022 through 2025. Carter spent the 2025 season in Minnesota as the team's assistant offensive line coach.
On the other side of the ball, the Vikings are hiring Gerald Alexander as their defensive backs/pass game coordinator. He replaces Daronte Jones, who served in both roles before being hired by the Washington Commanders as their new defensive coordinator.
Finally, the Vikings hired Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator. Nielsen previously interviewed with Minnesota for the defensive coordinator job in 2023 before the Vikings ultimately hired Brian Flores.
Last year, Nielsen served as the Buffalo Bills’ senior defensive assistant after spending the 2024 season as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator. He previously held the same role with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023.
Minnesota ended the season with a five-game winning streak, but it wasn't enough to get them into the playoffs. The Vikings started 4-8, in part due to deficiencies at quarterback and underwhelming results from their expensive 2025 free-agent class.
It appears ownership believed Adofo-Mensah shouldered a significant share of the team's failures. Part of the motivation for the aggressive free-agent spending spree was Adofo-Mensah's lackluster draft history.
Minnesota likely won't hire its new general manager until after the draft. That likely means that Kevin O'Connell will have a more significant say in roster decisions in free agency and the draft.
But the team appears to believe it needs better coaching to deal with its roster hands-on. The hiring of Smith and Carter signals that the team is seeking a more effective running game. Miami ranked 1st in rushing in 2023, Smith's second season with the team.
The Vikings still must address their personnel through free agency and the draft, but they have already moved on from their top decision-maker and several coaches. How those moves shape their offseason roster decisions remains to be seen.