The Vikings are continuing to reshape their coaching staff this offseason, adding veteran college assistant Derek Warehime as assistant offensive line coach. He’ll work alongside newly promoted offensive line coach Keith Carter, giving Minnesota a fresh tandem tasked with stabilizing one of the team’s most problematic units in 2025.
Warehime brings nearly two decades of coaching experience, most recently serving as Kentucky’s run game coordinator and offensive line assistant - a role he accepted just two months ago. Before that, he spent three seasons at Coastal Carolina, where his offensive lines quietly put together some strong performances.
In two of those three seasons, the Chanticleers ranked in the Top 25 nationally for fewest sacks allowed. And across all three years, they eclipsed 2,000 yards both through the air and on the ground - a testament to the balance and consistency Warehime helped engineer up front.
His resume also includes stints as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at New Mexico, and as an offensive line coach at Texas. He’s been on the sidelines as a full-time coach since 2008, when he got his start at Arkansas-Monticello.
The timing of this hire is no coincidence. The Vikings are coming off a season where their offensive line struggled to stay healthy and protect the quarterback.
Four of their five starters missed time due to injuries, and the group gave up sacks at the second-highest rate in the league - an 11% sack rate that simply isn’t sustainable in today’s NFL. That number tells a bigger story about the offense’s inconsistency and why a reset in the trenches was necessary.
Carter, who was promoted last month, spent last season as an assistant under Chris Kuper. With Kuper’s contract expiring and him moving on to become the Eagles’ offensive line coach, the Vikings saw an opportunity to elevate Carter and bring in a seasoned partner in Warehime to help retool the unit.
This move also marks the fifth new addition to Kevin O’Connell’s staff this offseason, signaling a period of transition behind the scenes. While the Vikings retained all three coordinators - including defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who signed a new deal in January - the departures of assistant head coach Mike Pettine (retirement) and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones (now the Commanders’ DC) opened the door for more reshuffling.
For Warehime, the jump to the NFL is a big step, but one that comes with a clear mandate: help fix a line that’s been a liability for too long. If he and Carter can get the unit healthy and functioning at a higher level, it could be a game-changer for a Vikings offense still searching for stability up front.