Departed Vikings Player is Up to His Old Tricks
The 2025 offseason featured no shortage of connections between Indianapolis and Minnesota.
Former Vikings players such as Daniel Jones and Camryn Bynum welcomed a horse shoe, moving on from their helmet horn in the process. Meanwhile, the Vikings lured some former Colts to town, welcoming center Ryan Kelly alongside right guard Will Fries. Of the players mentioned, it’s the current Colts — Jones and Bynum — who have had the chance to make an impression. One even returned to his old tricks even though he was working for a new team.
Departed Vikings Player with an INT & Celebration
Start off with the safety, someone who became cherished in the Twin Cities for his interceptions and celebrations.
He made a great play in Week 1, picking off Tua Tagovailoa. The NFL’s official social media shared the moment and said, “Cam Bynum intercepts Tua and is back on his elite celly game.” Check it out:
Classic Bynum moment.
The college corner became an NFL safety after Minnesota scooped him up in the 4th of the 2021 NFL Draft. He came along slowly, functioning as a promising backup in his rookie season before ascending into a starter’s spot as a sophomore. His four seasons with the Vikings involved 342 tackles, 8 interceptions, and 28 passes defended. There may have even been a fun dance or two along the way.
Working under a four-year agreement for a total of $60 million, Bynum’s opening game in the AFC involved 3 tackles, 1 interception (returned for 14 yards), and 2 passes defended.
On the other side of the ball is Daniel Jones, someone who won the QB1 job and is therefore looking like someone who could hand over a 4th to the Vikings within the compensatory picks system.
Unlike Bynum, Jones did not have a long, cherished set of seasons with the Vikings. Instead, there was part of the 2024 season after the Giants decided to move on. He mostly lived on the practice squad before a playoff bump up to the active roster, a savvy decision that made him capable of kicking over a compensatory pick.
Mr. Jones had a strong debut with the Colts. His stats are impressive, completing 22/29 passes (75.9%) for 272 yards. Along the way, there was a touchdown pass alongside a pair of rushing scores. He finished off his day with a 115.9 passer rating. The Colts would be thrilled to get that level of play on a weekly basis.
Currently, the Vikings may feel like they could use some help from Camryn Bynum. Harrison Smith is out for Monday Night Football, meaning the secondary has lost Gandalf to lead the Fellowship toward a win (and one day a ring?).
The onus now shifts to Theo Jackson alongside Josh Metellus. Both are going to soak up snaps aplenty. When the defense is in nickel, corner Jeff Okudah is going to get leaned on to step onto the field. Backup safety Jay Ward — one of the two remaining members from the 2023 Vikings draft crew — may get tasked with a meaningful role for the defense, if only in the short term.
Taking down the Bears in Week 1 would put the Vikings in an early tie with the Packers for the top of the division. Green Bay beat Detroit by a score of 27-13.
Kickoff for tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CT. The Vikings’ secondary has been a point of concern for a little while, so seeing The Hitman need to take the week off hits as a double dose of bad news.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
