The Minnesota Vikings are wasting no time in making key roster decisions ahead of the 2025 offseason.
Their latest move could give them more flexibility when it comes to retaining starting cornerback Byron Murphy, who is set to hit free agency.
Murphy, 27, just wrapped up a two-year, $17.5 million contract and is now in line for a sizable raise. With $28.6 million in career earnings, according to Over The Cap, he’s expected to draw significant interest on the market. However, the Vikings remain a strong candidate to offer him the payday he deserves.
“Per a league source, the Vikings and CB Byron Murphy have agreed to push back the void date on his contract,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported on X on February 18. “Originally, the deal voided 23 days prior to the start of the league year (either today or tomorrow). Now, it’s the day before the start of the league year, which means Murphy cannot be franchised (since that date is past the deadline for teams to use the franchise tag).”
Murphy had a standout 2024 season, posting career highs with 81 total tackles, 14 pass deflections, and six interceptions—ranking third in the league. His ability to play both on the outside and in the slot adds even more value to his skill set.
However, this is just one piece of the puzzle for both Murphy and the Vikings.
According to Spotrac, the 27-year-old cornerback is projected to command around $22.1 million per year, with a potential four-year, $88.4 million contract as a benchmark.
Vikings Maintain Flexibility With Byron Murphy
Delaying Murphy’s void date suggests that the Vikings are interested in keeping him on the roster. The same applies to Aaron Jones, whose void date was also pushed back to just before the start of the new league year.
However, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert cautioned that this move doesn’t necessarily guarantee a return. He pointed to past cases in Vikings history where similar situations ultimately led to the player departing.
“Vikings executed the same procedural move with CB Byron Murphy Jr. as they did with Aaron Jones, per Dan. Big upshot here, though: NO franchise tag for Murphy. He has a clear path to free agency if he wants it,” Seifert posted on X in reaction to Graziano’s report.
“They did this with Dalvin Tomlinson in 2023 and Marcus Davenport in 2024,” Siefert responded in another post responding to a follower, “and both players moved on.”
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell had high praise for Murphy throughout the season.
Meanwhile, Jones is coming off a standout season at 30 years old, playing on a one-year, $7 million deal.
The Vikings are expected to have cap space, but they have several priorities to tackle—quarterback being one of them—before turning their focus to the cornerback position. Their ongoing roster adjustments may also give them confidence that they can manage without Murphy if necessary.
Byron Murphy a Projected Fit for Las Vegas Raiders
ESPN’s Matt Bowen identified the Las Vegas Raiders as a potential landing spot for Murphy if he departs from the Vikings in free agency this offseason.
“The Raiders need more ball hawks in the secondary, and they could lose safeties Tre’von Moehrig and Marcus Epps and slot corner Nate Hobbs to free agency,” Bowen wrote on February 18. “With the ability to play on the perimeter or in the slot (259 snaps in 2024), Murphy has the backfield vision and short-area speed to close on the ball and make an impact for Las Vegas. He’s a clear upgrade for a defense that finished with only 10 interceptions in 2024.”
Over The Cap estimates the Vikings will have $56.3 million in cap space this offseason.
Meanwhile, the Raiders are projected to have over $92 million available, which could give them a competitive advantage in free-agent negotiations.
The challenge for Minnesota is balancing its priorities—waiting on one player could mean losing another. This highlights the need for strategic resource allocation, setting up what is likely to be another busy offseason for the Vikings.
