re: Is this the BEST we can do?

Minneapolis Star-Triibune

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Twelve games into Jones' first season with the Vikings, the defensive backs coach has soldiered through a truncated offseason and a 1-5 start marred by injuries and cornerback inexperience and moved the group toward something approaching reliability. The Vikings are 6-6, heading into a game against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers that's saturated with playoff stakes in part because the young corners have shown signs of progress.

The Vikings allowed nine pass plays of 20 yards or more in narrow victories over the Panthers and Jaguars the past two weeks, but gave up only nine in the preceding four-game stretch. Rookie Cameron Dantzler last week recorded the first interception by a Vikings cornerback all season and recovered the fumble he forced in an overtime win over the Jaguars.

According to Football Outsiders' Defense-adjusted Value Over Average metric, the Vikings' pass defense is the ninth-best in the league.

"He's been earning his money this year," safety Harrison Smith said of Jones. "He does a really good job of communicating exactly what we need to get done and things that we can expect while also not overloading the group with things that can bog you down. There can be a balance there based on just experience levels. He's been doing a great job of starting at the fundamentals and expanding from there and giving us enough information to grow without handicapping us."

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If Jones is the hire, he would coach safeties.

The DC coaches a position.

What were you expecting?

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For me. If we are going this route. Just give it to Corey Raymond and hire a legit LB coach.

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This seems like the type of move that would cause Raymond to leave...

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And likely it will end with consideration/interview. So no need to panic.

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Now this is the point I’m not sure why many are missing. Many are freaking out over this interview. An interview does not = a hire. Just reference Arnett.

I gave you the actual stats.. not the stats half way through the season...

You don’t like them.. be mad at the stats. Not me.

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If only there were other variables. But alas, no. You have provided all the facts needed.

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3 years of stats don’t need variables.. you know what we call that?

A trend.

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Based on what, besides your innate familiarity with Corey’s career goals?

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Based on the fact that Raymond has a relatively comparable resume, and has been bypassed.

I have no idea what Raymond wants to do, but if he wants to be a DC, he's been here, knows the players, the recruits, the coaches, and to this point has been successful with his area of the scheme.

We're now looking at at least 3rd choice, we've interviewed 2 with intent to hire and have been left hanging. If Raymond is way down O's list of getting a look, maybe he feels he needs to go elsewhere in order to advance his career.

This has made the Mile’s O debacle look like normalcy. What a complete and utter failure.

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There’s no evidence that Raymond has any desire to be a coordinator. There’s been rumors that he has zero interest and, based on his actions, I believe them.

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We're obviously not privy to what's in his mind, or all his actions (or inactions).

But you are right, there have been years of multiple opportunities and we've never seen ANY move on his part to make that jump. At some point, even with information gaps, you have to come to that conclusion.

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2017: Bengals are 16th in passing defense.

Jones shows up.

2018: Bengals 31st in passing defense.
2019: Bengals 21st in passing defense.

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spending two years with the Cincinnati Bengals as the secondary/cornerbacks coach from 2018-19. In 2018 Jones aided in the development of rookie CBs Davontae Harris and Darius Phillips, both late-round draft picks who saw game action throughout the season due to injuries to Cincinnati's defense.

We’re highlighting what defense he worked on that didn’t turn out well.

What about what he’s done on the positive side?

In his first season as a professional coach in 2016, Jones helped coach a Dolphins defense that recorded 16 interceptions, third-most in the NFL. Miami also ranked fourth in the league in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert on only 36.15 percent of attempts.
Prior to the NFL, Jones served as defensive backs coach at the University of Wisconsin in 2015, as the Badgers led the nation with just seven passing touchdowns allowed. Wisconsin's passing defense ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally, allowing 173.2 pass yards per game. From 2012-14, Jones served as the secondary coach at the University of Hawaii, adding the title of assistant head coach in 2014. Jones helped improve Hawaii's passing defense by 62.1 yards per game, as the Rainbow Warriors went from 85th nationally in 2011 to the 11th-best passing defense in 2012.