The Vikings interviewed a pair of 49ers assistants on Saturday, completing more than a week’s worth of interviews that has apparently left them ready to progress to the next round of the search process.
Adam Caplan of ESPN reports that Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will have a second interview with the team early next week. Zimmer has been called the favorite to land the job in multiple reports out of Minnesota and the invitation to return for another conversation won’t do anything to quiet that speculation.
It doesn’t mean that he has the job sewn up, though. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reports that the Vikings are expected to add two other finalists to Zimmer as they move toward naming Leslie Frazier’s replacement. Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is thought to have a good chance of being part of that group, but nothing has been set up yet.
49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula interviewed on Saturday, joining Zimmer, Bowles, Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton, Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. If either of the San Francisco or Seattle coaches are finalists, it may be a while before the Vikings can name their next head coach.