Nov 3, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) takes the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings have seven games around the bend in the 2024 regular season and are in full command of reaching the January tournament, so long as they finish the season with a 2-5 record at worst the rest of the way.
The Vikings have won three straight.
And before you know it, the offseason will hit, and all eyes for the Vikings will turn to roster movement and the draft. These four Vikings players are scheduled for free agency in 3.5 months but are on track to return in 2025. They’re listed alphabetically.
Bullard isn’t a huge household name, but he doesn’t need that title.
Minnesota’s rushing defense is historically good this season by franchise standards, and to do so without a true nose tackle is just remarkable. Men like Bullard make that happen. The guy is affordable, dependable, and a favorite among Minnesota’s coaching staff.
Even if the Vikings splash in free agency or the draft for a high-profile DT, Bullard will likely be back as depth or for rushing situations.
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 re-sign Bynum for the long haul in February or March.
The Vikings’ ground game has finally improved in 2024 after lousy seasons running the rock in 2022 and 2023. The 2024 rushing offense certainly isn’t elite or anywhere close to it, but it has exited the NFL’s cellar.
Minnesota will likely welcome Jones back for another year next offseason while drafting a halfback from April’s deep class. It just makes too much sense.
Murphy should be back in 2025. He told the aforementioned Wolfson earlier this summer, “I gotta say, since I’ve been here since day one, I fell in love, so I don’t want to go nowhere. I want to stay here for the rest of my career. So I’m gonna try to work my ass off to stay here for sure.”
Otherwise, Murphy signed a two-year deal in the 2023 offseason, making 2024 his final season in Minnesota. All signs, though, point to his return.
The Vikings could showcase Murphy, a rookie CB from the 2025 NFL draft, and Mekhi Blackmon, who will be returning from an ACL year, next season.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.