The Vikings May Have a Tough Call Coming at Cornerback
The Minnesota Vikings may not have an immediate issue at cornerback, but one is already looming in the background.
Cornerback has been a struggle in the Twin Cities this decade, with several botched draft picks that haven’t developed into the long-term solutions their draft slots promised. This offseason, the overhaul has been moderate.
The Vikings still employ last year’s CB1 Byron Murphy Jr. and CB2 Isaiah Rodgers. With James Pierre’s arrival last month, the top trio is set, barring any major investments in the draft.
Rodgers is scheduled to hit free agency next year when his two-year deal is set to expire. Murphy is signed through the 2027 season. He received a lucrative new three-year contract last year. That deal was first reported as a $66 million payout, though the real value is more accurately $54 million, with more potentially unlocked via incentives.
Either way, that contract will reach a critical moment next offseason. Next year, the Vikings will once again have to fight the NFL’s salary cap constraints and finding the necessary funds to pay the players under contract in addition to free agency targets could be the usual struggle. Suddenly, Murphy’s salary might be expendable.
That deal will come under the microscope next offseason. With a post-June 1 designation, the Vikings could save $18 million against the cap by moving on — a significant number for a team that is constantly navigating tight financial margins.
Murphy initially joined the club in 2023, signing a two-year, $15 million contract. He was viewed as a solid CB2, but the Vikings have treated him as their top corner ever since. Indeed, Murphy has been solid over the years under the guidance of Brian Flores, who made him his first top signing. His partners have changed over the years, starting with Akayleb Evans in 2023, Stephon Gilmore in 2024, and Rodgers in 2025.
Since his move from Arizona to Minnesota, Murphy has appeared in 48 games (all starts), logging 209 tackles and 11 interceptions (including a career high 6 in 2024). His 2024 campaign was rewarded with the only Pro Bowl recognition of his career.
Murphy has been reliable, but he hasn’t been the kind of shutdown CB1 that typically commands top-tier money. Derek Stingley, Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie have broken the $30 million sound barrier; several others, such as Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain, or Denzel Ward, rank in the range north of $20 million. Then there are a bunch of CBs, who are paid more than $17 million.
Murphy’s $18 million isn’t an absurd number in today’s NFL, but it’s still debatable if he’s worth the 14th-highest salary among cornerbacks.
That’s the balance the Vikings will have to strike. Murphy has been a steady presence and one of the more reliable pieces in a secondary that has seen constant turnover. But in today’s NFL, “solid” doesn’t always justify top-tier money, especially when roster-building decisions are driven as much by cap flexibility as by on-field performance.
If Murphy continues to produce at a high level, the decision becomes easier. If not, the Vikings could be forced to explore alternatives, whether that’s through the draft or a cheaper veteran option. Either way, this isn’t a conversation for today, but it’s one that’s already quietly taking shape.
And in a league where long-term planning often decides short-term success, it’s a decision that could carry more weight than it seems right now. The Vikings might try to find his successor in the upcoming draft.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.