“It’s been nothing but a blessing,” Sherfield said. “The team, the guys, the coaching staff, everything has jelled perfectly, and I feel like I’m right in the spot, exactly where I need to be.”
Flores, who built his NFL foundation in the Patriots personnel department before shifting to the sidelines, said the acquisitions followed a yearly discussion between he and the Vikings defensive coaches during which they ask, “What’s our vision for how we want to play in the next season? What do we have on our roster right now that we just played with, what can we add to that group to kind of execute that vision?”
The personnel department and coaches dived into film studies to find the right fits.
“The collaboration was, ‘Hey, our vision is to play this style — probably gonna need these types of guys. And thankfully, we’re able to get Blake Cashman and Greenard and Van Ginkel, but there’s also Jerry Tillery and Haddy Ward and Shaq Griffin,” Flores said. “Those guys have definitely added a lot to our team also, and a lot of it is, I think we’ve been lucky [because] that group has really jelled in a way that has allowed them to really come together and play well, trust one another. And in a team sport like this, that’s what you need more than anything.”
Flores credited Cashman, Minnesota’s “Green Dot” linebacker who relays calls from the sideline, with having “natural leadership — a way of bringing people together.”
“He’s very smart and knows how to communicate with the various people that it’s part of his job description to talk to, whether it’s a defensive lineman, an edge guy, a safety, a corner,” Flores added. “His position is one that he’s involved with coverage, in the run game, in a lot of the pass rush, so he’s got to have a general knowledge of pretty much all of it.”
The Vikings front office also needed to respond to the tragedy of losing rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson in a July auto accident, as well as injuries.
Cornerbacks Fabian Moreau (July 31) and Stephon Gilmore (Aug. 19) brought immense experience to the defensive backfield. Gilmore nabbed Aaron Rodgers’ pass to seal a 23-17 win at London, and Moreau filled in for him later in the season.
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