George Edwards will become the newest Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator if reports this morning are accurate.
FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez was the first to report that Miami Dolphins linebackers coach George Edwards has agreed to a deal with the Vikings.
Confirmed by source: @MiamiDolphins LBs coach George Edwards leaving to become @Vikings defensive coordinator @FOXSports
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) January 16, 2014
The news comes on the same day the Vikings are reportedly close to naming Norv Turner the team’s offensive coordinator.
While multiple reports agree with Marvez, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is hearing that Edwards isn’t necessarily going to be named the defensive coordinator, but he is joining the staff.
Dolphins LB coach George Edwards headed to Minnesota to join Zimmer, per source. But hear team will interview several for DC, not just him
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 16, 2014
According to the Daily Norseman, today is Edwards’ 47th birthday. Getting a job as a defensive coordinator is a pretty nice gift.
Edwards has been a defensive coordinator three seasons in his career. Here’s what Pro Football Talk knows about him.
Edwards spent the 2003 season as the Redskins’ defensive coordinator under Steve Spurrier and had the same job with the Bills during the 2010 and 2011 seasons before being replaced by Dave Wannstedt before Chan Gailey’s final year as the head coach in Buffalo. This was his second season as the Dolphins’ linebackers coach and he also had a previous stint in that role from 2005 to 2009.
In 2012, Bleacher Report named Edwards to a list of the 14 worst assistant coaches in the NFL. The article criticizes Edwards’ ability to improve a defense, and backs up the statement with statistical data on the lack of improvement the Bills made under Edwards from 2010 to 2011.
As CBS Sports notes, Edwards will be charged with improving Minnesota’s 29th ranked passing defense.
Edwards worked with new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer when they were coaching together in Dallas. Zimmer was the defensive coordinator of the Bengals, so there’s a chance he’ll still call the defensive plays.
