Nov 20, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals helmets on the sidelines before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings have six games remaining in the 2024 regular season, and according to Bleacher Report, those contests could be the last for safety Camryn Bynum as a member of the purple team.
BR’s Kristopher Knox has already begun to peek at the offseason, leading him to the conclusion that Bynum could join the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bynum’s contract expires at the end of this season.
Knox recommended Bynum as a free agency target for Cincinnati and wrote, “The decision to sign Geno Stone has not worked out. Stone’s breakout season in Baltimore might have been a mirage, because the player who racked up seven interceptions last season has now become a part of the problem for a secondary that has been one of the league’s worst.”
The Vikings, too, could re-sign Bynum in February or March, disallowing him from seeing the free-agent light of day.
“Cutting Stone and targeting Camryn Bynum with some of the cap savings could be a major move toward fixing things. Bynum is only 26 years old and has excelled in multiple defensive systems with the Vikings,” Knox added.
Before the 2024 season began, credible reporting suggested the Vikings wanted Bynum on the roster for the long haul. “I’m told there have been discussions on an extension but no legitimate progress. A lot would have to change for an extension to happen before the season opener,” KSTP’s Darren Wolfson told SKOR North in August. “So, in this moment … I will tell you that Cam Bynum, starting on Sept. 8, will play out the final year on his contract. But mutual interest remains on having Cam here long term.”
Bynum has turned heads in 2024, making impact plays and firing up sweet celebrations along the way. With Harrison Smith’s retirement imminent, it’s safe to assume Minnesota will entertain re-signing Bynum for the long haul in February or March. Stay tuned.
ESPN’s Dan ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently wrote about his impending free agency: “What we’re hearing: Minnesota has made efforts to extend Bynum, who is a natural successor to Harrison Smith as the Vikings’ leader in the secondary. Smith turns 36 in February. Five safeties make at least $16 million per year, and Bynum, whose value is rising after three interceptions and eight passes defensed this season, will look to become the sixth. The Vikings believe they are in a good place with him as far as a long-term working relationship.”
If Bynum walked via free agency and the aforementioned Smith retired, Minnesota would be left with safeties Josh Metellus and Jay Ward under contract for 2025. Theo Jackson, too, would likely be re-signed.
NFL free agency is about 15 weeks away.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.