Lucky No. 23

Under Red McCombs, Vikings assistant coaches often multi-tasked with multiple duties. Not so under Zygi Wilf. On Tuesday, the Vikings hired a franchise-record 23rd assistant coach to work under head coach Brad Childress.

The Vikings may not lead the league in too many categories, but one that they are surely at or near the top of is assistant coaches.

The team hired Derek Mason as assistant defensive backs coach Tuesday, making him the 23rd assistant coach on the team. Mason’s most recent job was as a receiver coach at Ohio University. He has a connection to head coach Brad Childress – Mason was a defensive back at Northern Arizona University when Childress was an assistant coach.

Aside from the three coordinators, the Vikings have positions coaches for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs and have assistant coaches for the offensive line, defensive backs and special teams. In addition, the team has three strength and conditioning coaches, two defensive assistants, two offensive assistants, one overall coaching assistant and an assistant to Childress.

If the Vikings aren’t being coached properly, it’s certainly not the result of a lack of effort…or numbers.

WEDNESDAY NOTES
* The Vikings signed defensive tackle Howard Green to a two-year contract Tuesday. Green came into the NFL in 2002 and played one game with the Texans before playing 14 games over two years with the Saints. He hasn’t played since 2004 – he was released by the Saints during the preseason of the 2005 season and went to training camp with the Dolphins in 2006 before being released. At 6-2, 320, he is a run-stuffer who is expected to compete as a backup to Pro Bowler Pat Williams.
* With the recent signing and taking into account the Vikings rookie pool allocation, the team is still about $23 million under the 2007 salary cap. Without the rookie pool, they are about $27 million under the cap.
* The brother of running back Adrian Peterson was arrested earlier this week and jailed on felony counts of suspicion of first-degree burglary and robbery by force or fear. Brandon Xavier Peterson, 18, was one of two suspects arrested in Cleveland (Okla.) County and police are currently searching for a third suspect.