Why the Vikings Should Offer a Contract Extension to Camryn Bynum
The Minnesota Vikings saw a massive amount of roster turnover during this offseason.
As a result of so much veteran talent heading elsewhere, the team needed to find new talent to fill in many positions on the roster. However, one spot that remained completely intact from last year is the safety position.
There is a question to ask regarding how long that can actually be the reality, though. Because of this, the Vikings should consider making an extension for one of their younger defenders a priority this summer.
The Case for a Camryn Bynum Extension
To get things started, it should be noted that the Vikings signed Josh Metellus to a very affordable contract last summer. Before Metellus even took a starting role with the defense, he signed a two-year contract worth $13 million with $6 million in guarantees.
Bynum, 25, has been a starter for the Vikings in each of the past two years. Because of this, any extension for the safety likely will exceed the price point of Metellus.
Kyle Joudry laid out the point well in one of his own recent articles on this site, writing, “The Metellus negotiation involved arriving at a deal with someone who had yet to firmly prove he could be a defensive starter. The Bynum negotiation will involve someone who has been an entrenched starter for two straight years. See the issue? Bynum has a bit more on his resume going into negotiations. Could he demand more money than Metellus?”
It’s a valid point. The counter to that argument, though, is what happened at the safety position in free agency this spring.
Across the board, the league saw a number of top talents at the safety position get cut rather than paid new contracts. For example, the Eagles parted ways with Kevin Byard while the Bears released Eddie Jackson. Even the Broncos opted to part ways with Justin Simmons after he made his second Pro Bowl.
Bynum is younger than these players, so he very well could still make a decent chunk of cash on the open market. However, the league seems to be trending away from handing safeties massive contracts. Bynum undoubtedly has noticed this as his free agency approaches in 2025. Perhaps it would lead him to value long-term security rather than testing the open waters.
It isn’t as if he is a borderline starter at this point, either. Bynum has started all 17 games in each of the past two seasons, and he flourished in Brian Flores’ scheme last season. Among 58 safeties to play at least 700 defensive snaps last season, Bynum’s PFF grade of 73.2 ranked 14th.
Especially as Harrison Smith enters his age-35 season, the Vikings need to think about their long-term future at the safety position. Bynum should be made a priority, and he may not be as pricey as some may think.
Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.