Vikings Might Have to Decide Between 2 Standout Defenders
The NFL season is nearing an end, although the Vikings have already clinched an extra game. Still, the purple team has only three more regular season contests left on the docket. Just like every season, there will be some roster turnover. Numerous players are scheduled to enter free agency, and a bunch of them will depart.
Vikings Might Have to Decide Between 2 Standout Defenders
But then there are some who will make headlines, whether they stay in the building or begin a new era with a different team. Examples of that are Sam Darnold and Aaron Jones.
Brian Flores’ defense has two of those players, too: Byron Murphy and Camryn Bynum. They will pose a fascinating question. Can the team keep both?
The obvious answer is yes because the Vikings have a boatload of cap space, and they can keep their guys in the building if they want to. However, paying top dollars for a safety and a cornerback might not be part of the front office’s plans for the future of the club, especially with nearly half the roster expected to become free agents.
Let’s start with Bynum. The Vikings drafted him in 2021, a draft that delivered Rick Spielman’s parting gift, standout left tackle Christian Darrisaw, and solid reserve pass rusher Patrick Jones.
The converted college cornerback was asked to step into the starting lineup early in his career when Harrison Smith missed a pair of games due to COVID-19, and he performed well in both. In the 2022 draft, the new regime acquired Lewis Cine, clouding Bynum’s future as a starter for the Vikes.
Regardless, he kept the starting role despite an up-and-down 2022 campaign. His breakout came in the following campaign under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and he has been fantastic ever since.
His rookie contract will expire after the season. Top safety money nowadays is roughly $20 million per season. Antoine Winfield Jr. signed a contract worth over $21 million/season. Derwin James’ average annual salary is $19 million, and Minkah Fitzpatrick’s pay eclipsed Budda Baker’s $18 million salary.
The Vikings still have Joshua Metellus on a semi-cheap deal, who will likely command a contract extension after the season as well. Harrison Smith’s future is uncertain. He took time off after last year’s disappointing campaign and decided to give it another shot. The fact that the Vikings are competitive could attract him to extend his career once more. Depth players Theo Jackson and Jay Ward haven’t been relied upon too much this season, but there was some buzz about Jackson in the past.
Bynum is not quite named among the previously listed top-paid safeties in football, but that doesn’t always matter. The next guy in line to sign his deal always has the advantage of a rising salary cap and, therefore, can increase his demands.
Now, let’s take a look at Murphy.
The cornerback position had been a disaster for years, and the front office had to sign someone who could be of immediate help. Murphy joined the Vikings in the 2023 free-agency window and has been the CB1 since.
His two-year deal will expire after the season, and he can now enter free agency with an even stronger track record. His resume includes a 2024 season with six interceptions, and he has a decent chance to make the Pro Bowl trip for the first time in his career.
It was quite noticeable how his absence in the final stretch of the 2023 season impacted the defense, which is why the Vikings will think twice before letting the former second-rounder walk.
Two cornerbacks (Patrick Surtain and Jalen Ramsey) earn at least an average of $24 million per season. Jaire Alexander, A.J. Terrell, and Denzel Ward are listed north of $20 million, and then there are a half dozen players between that and $19 million.
Long story short, cornerbacks are getting paid big bucks in the pass-first NFL of 2024, and Murphy’s play has earned him a sweet raise. A difference between the safety and the cornerback is that there’s not much depth at CB. Stephon Gilmore, Fabian Moreau, and Shaq Griffin will join Murphy as free agents, leaving Mekhi Blackmon, Dwight McGlothern, and NaJee Thompson.
Murphy said in June about a possible contract extension: “I don’t think I’m going anywhere. That’s my mindset. I want to stay; I love this place. Since I’ve been here since day one, I have fallen in love. I want to go nowhere. I want to stay here for the rest of my career. I love these guys in the locker room and the coaching—everything about this place is great. I’m going to work my ass off to stay here.”
The Vikings can find $35-$40 million in their budget somewhere, but they might not want to pay two defensive backs who are likely not quite elite players borderline elite money.
Darnold and the defensive duo will likely earn the majority of Vikings headlines ahead of free agency.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt