Vikings Starter Might Dance His Way Out of Minnesota
The Vikings had an exciting free agency period last year, as two high-profile players, Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, left the organization after six and nine years. The upcoming cycle will be just as intriguing, with Sam Darnold, Aaron Jones, Cam Bynum, and Byron Murphy all set to test the market unless they can strike a deal with the Vikes.
Vikings Starter Might Dance His Way Out of Minnesota
Darnold is obviously getting the most attention because he’s playing the most important position. He will likely command a significant quarterback contract, and those are worth $40-55 million nowadays. Aaron Jones could be in line for another one-year contract after a solid debut year with the Vikings.
On defense, Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Murphy has always emphasized his intent to stick around, although his raise might not be cheap. Fellow secondary defender Cam Bynum, however, seems to be in his final stretch with the franchise that drafted him in 2021.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson appeared on SKOR North’s Mackey and Judd Show this week, and his take on Bynum’s return didn’t sound optimistic at all. “Of all their premier free agents, the one that continues for me, like it’s hard to see him back, is Cam Bynum,” Wolfson said. Now, hey, there were some talks before training camp, so clearly mutual interest. But I just think Cam is good enough to get paid enough. I don’t have enough proof that this front office is willing to invest heavy money in the safety position.”
Bynum joined the club in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, Rick Spielman’s last in charge of the team. After one year of backup duties, he entered the starting lineup in 2022 but had not developed into an excellent defensive back before Brian Flores tweaked the defense in 2023.
Besides Wolfon’s comment, there’s also a video of Bynum’s possible final exit from U.S. Bank Stadium.
He looked somewhat emotional.
The Vikings can return to their home by beating the Detroit Lions on the road in Sunday’s regular-season finale.
His possible departure is colliding with Harrison Smight’s potential retirement. The Vikings could be asked to replace both safeties and their leadership in the locker room.
Bynum would not only be missed during defensive plays but also right after them when the celebrations become mundane. He is the unofficial king of celebrations; many have gone viral.
On Thursday, the NFL revealed the Pro Bowl rosters, but the fourth-year man was not included. He’s still waiting for his first trip to the Pro Bowl games. In the 2024 season, Bynum has appeared in all 16 games, tabulating 89 tackles and three interceptions. He’s usually the deep safety, while fellow safeties Harison Smith and Joshua Metellus play versatile roles.
Considering the annual salaries for the ten best-paid safeties in the NFL, an asking price in the range of $15 million is not out of the question.
The Vikings have the cap space to keep their guys on board, but Darnold’s rise has complicated the matter. If Minnesota ends up paying him starting-caliber money, they might run out of cash to pay Bynum and the other high-profile names.
Bynum, 26, has been one the most entertaining and reliable players for the Vikings, but he might have only two more games left with the purple team.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over The Cap 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