Is Byron Murphy the Next Patrick Peterson for Minnesota?
Ted Schwerzler
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Minnesota Vikings fans watched this offseason as star cornerback Patrick Peterson took his talents to the Steel City and signed with Pittsburgh. Before coming to Minnesota, he spent a decade with the Arizona Cardinals. He left the purple after a career year, and now Byron Murphy will follow in his footsteps.
Patrick Peterson always found ample opportunity to get excited when facing his former team in Minnesota, and there was no shortage of evidence when the two squared off last season. Minnesota emerged victorious in a 34-26 contest, and Peterson did his best to stifle the opposing Cardinals pass catchers.
Is Byron Murphy the Next Patrick Peterson for Minnesota?
When the dust settled on 2022, Peterson posted numbers worthy of an All-Pro selection. His five interceptions were near a career-high, and his 66 total tackles were more than he had ever put up since entering the NFL. Looking for another well-earned payday, it was always realistic to expect that he had played his last down for the salary-cap-strapped Vikings.
Now turning to Byron Murphy, Minnesota immediately has a talent expected to fill the shoes vacated by the fan favorite. Murphy is only 25 years old and has played just 56 games during his NFL career. Last season with the Cardinals, Murphy missed time and got into just nine contests. He failed to record an interception coming off of four the year prior, and he contributed just 36 tackles on defense. With a clean bill of health and a new home, he hopes to see the same level of performance Peterson left.
The Vikings knew this offseason would include a revamping of their roster. On defense, the most notable change thus far has been in losing linebacker Eric Kendricks. New coordinator Brian Flores comes in and will look to clean up the mess left for him by Ed Donatell. That’s where someone like Murphy can help. He’s a man-to-man corner and can be utilized in pressure spots. Flores likes to dial it up, and there should be ample opportunity for the former Washington standout to thrive.
Although Peterson came to Minnesota as a well-decorated veteran, it was never really expected that he would have a breakout year. Murphy has yet to truly establish himself in the league but will get a chance to do so with the Vikings. The cornerback room leaves plenty to be desired with so many question marks, and Murphy putting a strong foot forward would go a long way to turning the Vikings defense around this season.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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