Cowboys Rumors on Matt Eberflus' Potential Firing and Brian Flores Pursuit

The Dallas Cowboys appear "destined to fire defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus," according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

Florio reported Sunday "the increasing chatter in league circles is that the Cowboys will be firmly in play" for Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Flores' contract with the Vikings expires after the 2025 NFL season, and becoming a free agent will allow him to pursue both head-coaching and coordinator vacancies without any interference from Minnesota.

Per Florio, the Vikings "are keenly aware of the possibility" the 44-year-old could exit for Dallas.

It's a bit fitting that the Cowboys could finish 8-8-1 because its offense has been as great as its defense has been terrible. They rank 30th in yards allowed (376.8 per game) and 31st in scoring (29.8 points).

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Team owner and general manager Jerry Jones deserves some blame for this because he's ultimately the one who signed off on trading star edge-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Without Parsons along the defensive front, Dallas went from a third-place finish in sacks in 2024 to sitting tied for 22nd.

Eberflus has faced plenty of criticism as well. Ahead of a Week 16 battle with the Los Angeles Chargers, he decided to move into the booth to call plays, which seemed to be a tacit admission something needed to change with the defense.

Firing Eberflus and hiring Flores would be a bold move by Jones.

Flores went 24-25 in his three years as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, and he has steadily turned the Vikings into a formidable defensive unit. They're allowing the fifth-fewest yards (292.7) in the league.

Splashy coaching hires isn't something fans associate with Jones over the last few years. He took the path of least resistance when he promoted offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to replace Mike McCarthy as head coach. In September 2024, ESPN analyst Rex Ryan said he was ready to become Dallas' defensive coordinator but couldn't agree to terms with the team.

But Jones did make an aggressive play when he brought Dan Quinn aboard in 2021 and then gave him an extension after the former Atlanta Falcons head coach rebuilt his stock.

One downside to hiring Flores, as it was with Quinn, is that the better he does in the role the more likely it becomes for him to coach his own team. That's a risk the Cowboys should be willing to take in order to strengthen their defense in the offseason.