Byron Murphy signs a two-year deal with Vikings

Byron Murphy signs a two-year deal with Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings have made a sizeable splash in the secondary, signing cornerback Byron Murphy to a two-year, $22 million deal, NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday evening.

Acquiring a versatile, skilled corner on the market at $11 million per year (guaranteed amount is not known yet) is a good deal for second-year general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Murphy, 25, is coming off a season where he was limited to nine games after suffering a back injury, finishing with 36 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, four pass deflections and two fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown). Though he’s got 34 career pass deflections with five interceptions — four in 2021 — and 229 tackles in 56 games.

Murphy was a former No. 33-overall pick in 2019 and helps a Minnesota secondary that’s in dire need of help, especially after the departures of Patrick Peterson and Cameron Dantzler. The Vikings might’ve finished 13-4 and 11-0 in one-score games in 2022, but they had one of the worst defenses in the NFL and one of the league’s worst pass defenses, ranking No. 26 in pass defensive DVOA.

So far, Adofo-Mensah has taken swings on EDGE rusher Marcus Davenport, who has high upside, and now Murphy, who will be Minnesota’s No. 1 corner with second-year corner Andrew Booth and safety Lewis Cine also patrolling the secondary.

New defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a younger foundation to work with, but one capable of a high ceiling, should everyone avoid major injuries. Minnesota still has plenty of holes defensively (and on its roster), but Adofo-Mensah’s long-term vision becomes more clear every day: It’s building towards a younger, quicker squad for 2023 and beyond.

This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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