As with every offseason, the Minnesota Vikings face a series of crucial decisions in the coming months, especially with free agency set to kick off in March.
Currently, the Vikings are expected to have just over $58 million in cap space when the new league year starts on March 12th. This gives Minnesota enough room to re-sign some key free agents, but not all of them, especially if they aim to pursue top-tier external talent available this year.
Among the notable names, cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. stands out as one of the most significant players set to hit free agency in March, right behind Sam Darnold. However, a recent report suggests Murphy is unlikely to return to the Vikings next season.
Expectation is that Byron Murphy Jr. won’t re-sign with Minnesota Vikings this year, according to NFL insider
PFF forecasts that Byron Murphy will secure a three-year, $52 million contract this offseason, which would make him the 13th highest-paid cornerback in the NFL with an average salary of $17.33 million per year.
While some might view that as a fair deal for Murphy based on his 2024 performance, it seems the Vikings aren’t prepared to offer him that kind of money.
As reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Wednesday, the word is that Minnesota is likely to let Murphy “walk” this offseason, allowing him to sign elsewhere.
With Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin also hitting free agency, the Vikings could be poised to part ways with the three cornerbacks who played the most snaps for them in 2024.
If all three depart, Minnesota will need to bring in new talent at cornerback. The team would only have Mekhi Blackmon (recovering from a torn ACL) and Dwight McGlothern (a 2024 undrafted free agent) as their top cornerbacks under contract through 2025.
While the Vikings could still change their minds about Murphy, it’s looking increasingly likely that they will head into the 2025 season with a fresh face as their No. 1 cornerback.
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