Minnesota Shouldn’t Worry About The Byron Murphy Contract Year Narrative
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
There’s usually an uneasiness surrounding any player who peaks in a contract year. Did things suddenly click for them, and their spike in production is the new normal? Or was that player fueled by their impending payday, pushing them to go all-in?
The Minnesota Vikings are asking themselves these questions about cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who was at his absolute best in 2024. The slot cornerback far outplayed the two-year, $17.5 million deal he signed in 2023, to the point that his next contract could exceed $20 million per year and put him in the top 10 highest-paid cornerbacks.
And for good reason. A willing tackler at the corner position isn’t the easiest thing to find, and it’s certainly a plus in any system, let alone the one Brian Flores deploys. Murphy set career-highs in both tackles (81 combined) and tackles for loss (six). But Murphy isn’t just a cornerback who’s willing to get his hands dirty, he also showed that he can get his hands on the ball.
Byron Murphy with one hand for the pick!
📺: #ATLvsMIN on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/14WbgFW1uR— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024
Last season saw Murphy nearly match his career total in interceptions (eight) with six picks, and also had a career-high 14 pass deflections. While he was targeted a team-high 119 times, Murphy allowed a passer rating of just 76.7, ranking second among the eight defenders with 30-plus targets. In a scheme as complex as the one Flores runs, Murphy not only blended in, but stood out as one of the best in the bunch.
The easy solution would be for the Vikings to open up the checkbook for Murphy, even if the asking price makes them slightly uncomfortable. Sure, the Vikings could ultimately decide that the money desired is too rich for their blood and look elsewhere, but finding as seamless a fit for their system wouldn’t be an easy task.
Last Tuesday, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the Vikings and Murphy have agreed to push back the void date on his contract. While this means Minnesota can’t use the franchise tag on its corner, it does allow both sides more time to negotiate a new deal. This move would seemingly indicate the Vikings’ level of interest in hammering something down with Murphy.
There’s no doubting he’s been a great contributor for the team, or that he enjoys playing for Flores and the Vikings. Back in November, Murphy was asked about the impact Flores has had on him.
“Obviously the energy he brings, he just brings that juice every day,” Murphy said. “I feel like my game has gotten better over these last two years. Scheme-wise, I love the scheme, we do so much different stuff. I just love playing with Coach because he’s a great guy, he keeps it real every single day. I definitely want to just stay under his wing, for sure.”
That sure sounds like a guy who wants to come back to US Bank Stadium.
If it were up to Minnesota, and the question was as simple as whether or not it wanted to keep Murphy around, the answer would be an unequivocal yes. But money talks, and if some other team comes in and pushes all their poker chips into the center of the table for Murphy, it’d be hard to say no. At age 27, this is Murphy’s best chance to cash in and set himself up for life.
The dollars will be out there, too. With the NFL salary cap expected to increase by over $20 million per team, there will be plenty of funny money for front offices to throw around.
With his ability to play both on the outside and in the slot, replacing Murphy would feel like having to find two players instead of one. With the franchise tag off the table, the leverage moves farther into the corner of Murphy, but the Vikings being willing to forgo that hammer means they have some sense of confidence that they can retain the do-it-all corner.
Banking on Murphy’s 2024 campaign being the norm instead of an outlier in a contract year is somewhat of a risk, but the floor has been established with Murphy’s play after six years in the league. Even if he regresses a bit, his game is built on a solid foundation.
It’s also entirely possible that Murphy found more clarity and comfort in his second year in Flores’ system compared to his first. Their defense as a whole looked more comfortable, and fluid, especially early on.
For a group that doesn’t have a Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Fred Warner, or Patrick Surtain II, it sure as hell played like a unit that had more than enough star power. That’s a credit to the players like Murphy, yes, but it also speaks to Flores’ ability to put players in advantageous spots constantly.
The decision on Murphy for the Vikings will simply come down to dollars. If the money makes sense for both sides, he’ll undoubtedly be back in Minnesota. If it doesn’t, the Vikings will have to figure out how to replace that production from outside the organization.
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