Vikings' Defensive Coordinator Search: Aubrey Pleasant, Anthony Weaver, Don Martindale

byMintu -
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 Three names have surfaced for the Vikings to find their next defensive coordinator.

Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings will be the most important hire to their new coaching staff as defensive coordinator.

O'Connell is an offensive-minded coach, so he needs someone to call defensive plays and lead things on that side of the ball. The role becomes more important when you consider how poorly the Vikings performed on defense over the past two seasons and how much work needs to be done in that area going forward.

So far three names have come up in Minnesota's DC search and they are all encouraging. Let's go through each.

Aubrey Pleasant, Lions DB Coach/Passing Game Coordinator



The first confirmed interview for the DC opening of Vikings is pleasant, which will be a great fare. He has garnered good reviews from players and fellow coaches everywhere and seems to be on his way to becoming the head coach someday. Before dealing with multiple injuries, Sukhad did some good things with Lions secondary, which last season lacked in raw talent. He helped Amani Oruvariye record six interceptions and developed several UDFA-type players into solid contributors.

Pleasant was the Rams' cornerback coach from 2017–20, overlapping with O'Connell during the 2020 season. He received a lot of praise from Jalen Ramsey, which Ram achieved in 2019. Pleasant also worked with Marcus Peters and helped develop players such as Darius Williams, David Long Jr., and Troy Hill in Los Angeles.

Prior to this, Pleasant was on the staff of the Washington NFL team for four years, working with coaches such as Sean McVay and Raheem Morris. Prior to last season, Pleasant and McVay had been on the same coaching staff for eight consecutive years. Pleasant took up a security role in Wisconsin in the late 2000s and got her start in coaching at the University of Michigan.

The Flint, MI native is known for his tradition of balancing tough love and positive reinforcement in his coaching and running the steps of the stadium before every game.


Anthony Weaver, Ravens DL Coach/Run Game Coordinator


Weaver was in the running to fill the Broncos' defensive coordinator opening before Ajiro Avro was hired and was in the mix for promotion by the Ravens before Mike McDonald was hired as their DC. He is a former player with over a decade of experience coaching defensive lines in the NFL.

In their first season in Baltimore, Weaver's Ravens had arguably the best run defense in the league. They finished first in permitted yards, fourth in run defense DVOA, and fourth in EPA per rush. This is a very strong mark on a resume.

Before joining the Ravens, Weaver was with the Texans for five seasons, first as their defensive line coach and then as defensive coordinator in 2020. That 2020 defense was not good, but neither was the roster. As Houston's DL coach, Weaver hired J.J. Like working together with people. Watt, Jadevon Clooney, and D.J. Reader.

Weaver crossed paths with O'Connell in Cleveland in 2015, when he was the Browns' DL coach and O'Connell was the team's QB coach. Weaver also worked with the Bills and Jets early in his NFL coaching career. A 2002 second-round draft pick from Notre Dame, Weaver started 98 games as a defensive end for the Ravens and Texans from 2002–08, recording 15.5 sacks and three interceptions. 

Don "Wink" Martindale, former Ravens defensive coordinator


Martindale is one of many skilled, experienced defensive coaches on the market right now, along with Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Mike Zimmer and others. He is in the running to become the Giants' next defensive coordinator, having interviewed twice with New York and new coach Brian Dabol. But if Martindale doesn't get that job — former beer DC Sean Desai is also in the mix — it looks like he could be a candidate in Minnesota.

He and the Ravens mutually parted ways after a tough 2021 season, but Martindale put on some great defenses in Baltimore. They were ranked in the top five in the DVOA in 2018 and 2019 and ninth in 2020. From 2018 to 2020, the Ravens finished in the top three in defense scoring for three straight seasons, allowing less than 19 points per game each year. Duration. Known for being one of the most blitz-heavy coordinators in the NFL, Martindale is a talented defensive schemer and game-planner. It was a big surprise when she and the Ravens split in January.

Before becoming the Ravens DC, Martindale was Baltimore's linebackers coach for six seasons. He has coached for the Broncos and Raiders, in addition to a long career at the college level. Martindale, 58, has a ton of experience and an impressive track record.


notes

  • The Vikings are moving on from Adam Zimmer and Andre Patterson, who were their co-DCs for the past two seasons. The two have a close relationship with Mike Zimmer, so it makes sense. I think there is still a chance if Patterson does get demotion back to DL Coach, but that doesn't seem likely.
  • It looks like the Vikings have a strong chance of going 3-4 defense this off-season, which will be a big change after running 4-3 for so many years. O'Connell has been around 3-4 with the Rams for the past few years, and all three names listed above are primarily 3-4 coaches. This will have a significant impact on Vikings personnel and how they shape the roster going forward.
  • Rams run game coordinator and DL coach Eric Henderson is a name to keep in mind if O'Connell wants to bring someone from LA with him. Assistant secondary coach Jonathan Cooley could also be a target for the Vikings as DB coach.
  • Former Packers DC Mike Pettin was rumored to be a substitute by Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, but I'm not going to put much stock in it because La Canfora has been consistently wrong on every Vikings-related story this off-season. 

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