Could Ed Donatell return as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator in 2023?
Coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t give Donatell a vote of confidence on Wednesday at his season-of-season press conference, but he also didn’t say that Donatell was one-and-done in Minnesota.
“That is an ongoing process that is continuing as we speak and will continue throughout the rest of this week,” O’Connell said of his coaching staff. “I think it’s important to do, and I think after the success we had this year and coming up short of where we ultimately wanted to get to. I think it’s the right thing to do and I’ll make sure I go through that thorough process in doing so.”
Despite winning their first NFC North title since 2017 with a 13-4 record, the Vikings finished next to last in the NFL in total defense and were near the bottom of the league in scoring defense. Things didn’t improve in the playoffs as Minnesota gave up 431 yards in a 31-24 first-round loss to the New York Giants last Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
So what were the problems, and more importantly, what are the solutions? Let’s take a look.