Byron

Murphy

Murphy was poised to hit the open market come Wednesday but the team ultimately retained his services through a contract that makes him the fourth-highest paid cornerback in the league. After beginning his career in Arizona, Murphy has played the last two seasons with the Vikings and brings familiarity with defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ system. Murphy and the Vikings had a rollercoaster offseason with ongoing negotiations, but ultimately they were able to come to a meeting of the minds before the new league year begins Wednesday. Minnesota’s No. 1 cornerback will return for 2025 and beyond.

According to Schultz, the Vikings would like to re-sign Murphy, but the 2024 Pro Bowler is expected to test his value in free agency when the legal tampering period opens. Murphy totaled nine interceptions in his two seasons with the Vikings while racking up 138 tackles and another 27 pass breakups. At just 27 years old, he’s expected to have a strong market after last year’s breakout. His PFF coverage grade of 72.6 ranked 23rd among 117 corners (min. 300 snaps).

Murphy’s contract was set to void this week, but by pushing back Murphy’s void date, he cannot be franchise-tagged. Now, the Vikings have more time to work on a new contract with him before he hits free agency next month. QB Sam Darnold’s contract is still set to be voided, meaning he can be franchise-tagged while Murphy cannot.

The Vikings are fairly banged up in the secondary, which could become an issue considering their elevated blitz rates and varied coverage schemes, the latter of which requires elite-level communication to be effective. The Packers are also missing two primary wide receivers for the must-win NFC North showdown.

Murphy was one of the top corners on the market during this year’s free agent cycle, and he’ll now head to Minnesota to take the place of recent departure Patrick Peterson. The Vikings are in the midst of a massive overhaul on the defensive side of the ball, but Murphy is a step in the right direction as the team searches for a new identity. Murphy’s coverage grades are down over the previous two seasons but the aggressive corner is still highly capable given the right defensive scheme.

The No. 33 overall pick of the 2019 Draft, Murphy was a key component of a surprisingly feisty Cardinals pass defense last season. Although Murphy has never emerged as a true shutdown corner, he was allowed to shadow at times in 2022. Murphy is the right age with a long enough resume to cash in at one of football’s premium positions.

Kliff Kingsbury gave a two-word response when asked if DB Byron Murphy would play in Week 14 - “probably not.” The likely absence will mark his fourth consecutive missed game, leaving Antonio Hamilton the beneficiary for snaps in the secondary.

Murphy has largely erased opposing top wide receivers this season, making his absence a substantial boost to both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk’s fantasy expectation for Monday Night Football from Mexico City. Murphy will now set his sights on returning to health in time for Week 12 against the Chargers.

Murphy was added to the injury report with a foot issue on Friday. Late-week adds are always a concern, and the limited designation suggests he suffered the issue in practice. Murphy sitting would be a blow to a strong pass defense.

Devon Kennard and Murphy were the two players who tested positive after returning from Arizona’s bye week. The Cardinals’ facilities have since been shut down until all protocols are met. Murphy is likely out for Sunday against the Dolphins, pinning Kevin Peterson for extended reps off the bench in Week 9.