Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer says that offensive line coordinator Jeff Davidson is out.
Zimmer delivered the news during this morning’s post-season press conference, declining to mention Davidson by name. When asked for an explanation of why his contract wasn’t renewed, Zimmer said simply, “I didn’t want to.”
Offensive line coach Jeff Davidson is OUT for the Vikings per coach Zimmer in his press conference right now!
— Luke Inman (@Luke_Spinman) January 12, 2016
Davidson joined the Vikings in 2011 during the Leslie Frazier regime, after stints in Carolina, Cleveland and New England.
During his first year with Minnesota (2012), the running game put up 2,634 yards – good for second in the NFL. That included Adrian Peterson’s 2,097-yard performance.
But the run game has regressed since then, per stats from NFL.com.
Back to back injury-plagued season in 2014 and 2015 turned Davidson’s unit into a patchwork of backups and late-round draft prospects. Veteran center John Sullivan lost most of 2015 to multiple back surgeries, adding to a litany of injuries that included tackle Phil Loadholt’s Achilles tear (for which he missed the entire regular season) and a shoulder surgery for backup Carter Bykowski.
Despite respectable rush-protection numbers this past season (league 10th overall, according to Football Outsiders) from a MASH unit, the Vikings ranked just 29th in terms of pass protection in 2015, allowing 45 sacks on Bridgewater (and that’s after giving up 51 sacks the season before).
ESPN notes Teddy Bridgewater was pressured more than any other quarterback this year.
