Vikings signing Byron Murphy

[Guest]

Really like this addition. I read somewhere that he had a ridiculously high PFF grade when in single coverage. I see him as a scheme pick up. 
Looking at the draft, I’m drooling over several corners, especially round 1. I know some people are tired of corners, but there are some good ones available this year. 

[Guest]

Really glad to get him.  Booth and Evans are outside CB's, not slot.
Should be interesting to see how they get him under the cap.

[Guest]

@Havoc1649 said:
Really like this addition. I read somewhere that he had a ridiculously high PFF grade when in single coverage. I see him as a scheme pick up. 

Looking at the draft, I’m drooling over several corners, especially round 1. I know some people are tired of corners, but there are some good ones available this year. 

The corners are thick between 20 and 40. 

[Guest]

https://twitter.com/ScottBarrettDFB/stat...04897?s=20

[Guest]

https://twitter.com/vikesinsider/status/...01346?s=20

[Guest]

Look, Cardinal fans can't have anything nice either...

https://twitter.com/vikesinsider/status/...53536?s=20

[Guest]

@"Geoff Nichols" said:
As for Murphy, he's a solid DB. More of a high-end #2 that #1. Can hold up on the outside but has a ton of value in the slot as well. Finding a capable DB who could play inside & out was the key to anyone they signed in FA. Really opens them up to additional draft options and doesn't force a man-to-man corner early. 

The Vikes haven't had a true #1 CB for quite some time (Rhodes in his prime?).  Murphy sounds like an immediate upgrade over any CB we've had in years.  Great get by Kwesi!

[Guest]

New boss same as the old boss? Glad they signed a DB, not sure how good he'll be. Not trying to be a downer but good corner play seems to be the Vikings Achilles Heel.

[Guest]

https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/lists/what-byron-murphy-signing-means-for-vikings/

Even though it’s taken a while, the Minnesota Vikings have another cornerback.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Vikings have agreed to terms with cornerback Bryon Murphy. The deal is worth about $22 million over two seasons.




The announcement of Murphy’s contract comes at a critical time for
Minnesota. Heading into free agency, only Akayleb Evans played a
significant amount of snaps for the Vikings at cornerback last season.

Minnesota saw two former cornerbacks move to different teams since
free agency opened on Monday. Veteran Patrick Peterson signed with the
Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cameron Dantzler Sr. was claimed by the
Washington Commanders.

Here is how Byron Murphy can fit into the Vikings’ plans.

 




Who is Byron Murphy?

Nov
6, 2022; Seattle Seahawks Running wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) runs
around Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy (07) in the first half
in Glendale, Arizona, USA; at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit:
David Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Murphy was a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Arizona
Cardinals. In his time with the Cardinals, Murphy started in 48 games,
including 16 in his rookie season.

He started in nine games last season after a back injury landed him
on season-ending injured reserve in December. Despite this minor hiccup,
Murphy has remained healthy for most of his career and hasn’t missed
significant time.

Murphy is a versatile cornerback who can play both in the slot and on
the boundary for the Vikings. However, his best fit is likely on the
boundary given his lack of size and length at the cornerback position.

In terms of scheme fit, there may be no better fit for Brian Flores.
Murphy has been tasked with a lot of tough situations, including being
asked to shadow both Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams in coverage. He
passed every challenge with flying covers, holding both Adams and Kupp
to quiet nights.

His ability to stick with wide receivers in man coverage makes him a
particularly good fit for Flores, who asks his cornerbacks to remain on
islands. He is almost never beaten in man coverage and reacts well to
the ball to create deflections or interceptions. Cornerbacks who fit
this mold normally do well in defenses led by Flores and can have
successful seasons if everything breaks their way.




An interesting ripple to watch with Murphy is his ability to rush the
passer. Flores likes to use his defensive backs as extra pass rushers,
and his newest corner has plenty of experience getting after the
quarterback after his time spent with Vance Joseph in Arizona. If Murphy
blitzes with regularity, it could be an indication that he will fit
better in a slot role, which would hardly be an issue for the Vikings.

What about Murphy's contract?

The details regarding his contract are murky, but the $22 million over two years seems like a bargain for what Murphy offers.

At an $11 million average per year, Murphy would be the 17th
highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, putting him on par with D.J. Reed of
the New York Jets and Cam Sutton of the Detroit Lions.

The two-year deal signals that Murphy is likely betting on himself in
Flores’ defense. He would hit the open market again at just 27 years
old, meaning he could capitalize with a lucrative long-term contract
when his latest deal expires.

However, the structure of this contract also manages to give the
Vikings some valuable flexibility to see how Murphy might fit into their
system. Keep an eye on the details of his contract when they break, but
there’s a chance that the Vikings could get out of this contract if
needed.

How does Murphy fit the Vikings?

Murphy will be one of the Vikings’ starting cornerbacks next season, but who will line up next to him?

Flores likes to use three cornerbacks at a time, meaning the Vikings
aren’t done addressing the position during the off-season. The question,
however, is if the Vikings will pursue an additional free-agent
cornerback or shift their focus to drafting one.

If the Vikings choose to draft someone, they could build a young but
effective cornerback trio. Andrew Booth, Jr., provided he’s healthy,
will be 23 when the season starts, and Murphy is just 25 years old.

Drafting a cornerback would lock in most of Minnesota’s cornerbacks
for the long term, allowing them to pivot to a weigh their options when
Murphy’s next contract comes due in 2025.

Free agent Duke Shelley could make a lot of sense as a new
contributor if the Vikings are looking for more depth at the cornerback
position. Shelley impressed last season and could be targeted by
Minnesota on a cost-efficient contract.

[Guest]

Seems like a really good signing. Hopefully we can retain Shelley and one of either Booth or Evans can stay healthy and step up. Very glad to have Murphy in the fold.
I've seen rumblings about a Hitman restructure/pay cut, but nothing official yet. I hope that gets done as well.
Throw in Cine and remove Donatelle and maybe just maybe this secondary will be much improved. Not sure I can handle another season of teams converting 3-and-longs on us like they're 2nd-and-1s! Flores has his work cut out for him but there's reasons for optimism.