The Minnesota Vikings were fortunate to retain most of their coaching staff from the previous season. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores was a head coaching candidate early in the offseason, as was quarterbacks coach Josh McCown. Wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell sought an offensive coordinator role but didn’t secure the promotion. Even head coach Kevin O’Connell was mentioned in trade rumors before signing an extension.
However, the Vikings did lose a key member of their coaching staff. Assistant offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski left for the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator position, leaving a significant gap. That gap was filled on Monday night by Jordan Traylor, a coach many believed would stay with his previous team.
After Udinski moved to the Jaguars on February 5, the Vikings quickly found a replacement in Traylor. He is coming over from the New Orleans Saints to serve as the Vikings’ assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach.
Traylor has spent the past two years as an offensive assistant with the Saints, having joined the team in 2019 as a scouting assistant before transitioning to a defensive assistant in 2021. He moved to the offensive side of the ball afterward. With Kellen Moore recently hired as the Saints’ new head coach, significant coaching turnover was expected in New Orleans.
- Jordan Traylor
Just a week prior, it seemed likely that Traylor would stay with the Saints after being spotted at the NFL Combine with the team’s leadership. He was highly valued by the organization and seen as a future offensive coordinator.
However, after Moore hired Doug Nussmeier as his offensive coordinator, Traylor became available, and the Vikings quickly brought him on board. The Saints also hired former NFL head coach Scott Linehan and Tobijah Hughley as offensive assistants, which could have limited Traylor’s chances for promotion in New Orleans.
Traylor’s experience, particularly with quarterbacks, will be especially valuable to the Vikings. While the team’s quarterback situation is still uncertain, it’s expected that J.J. McCarthy will start when he’s ready. Traylor’s background in QB coaching could play a key role in preparing McCarthy for the upcoming season.
Before joining the Saints, Traylor worked as an offensive analyst at Arkansas in 2018, focusing on quarterbacks. He also served as an offensive graduate assistant at Texas in 2016 and 2017, where he worked with quarterbacks and wide receivers. Additionally, he coached quarterbacks for the National Team at this year’s Senior Bowl.
The son of UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor, Jordan has been immersed in coaching throughout his life. He briefly played quarterback in college, transferring to Texas A&M for the 2014-15 season. While the move to the Vikings represents a promotion for Traylor, his extensive experience and background make him a strong candidate for the position.
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