Byron Murphy Jr. Theory Takes New Twist
For a couple of months, Minnesota Vikings fans contemplated whether the purple team would franchise tag quarterback Sam Darnold, either keeping him on the roster for $40 million in 2025 or trading him to the highest bidder.
Byron Murphy Jr. Theory Takes New Twist
But on Monday, just three weeks before free agency, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert notified the world that cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. — not Darnold — could be Minnesota’s prime target for the franchise tag, as only one is allowed per team each year.
That theory alone surprised onlookers. However, another twist unfolded shortly after the ESPN reporting — what if the Vikings franchise tag-and-trade Murphy Jr.? You know, the theory applicable to Darnold for the last two months but used on Murphy Jr.
For starters, here’s what Seifert wrote this week: “Using the tag on quarterback Sam Darnold would be an expensive way of ensuring his return while avoiding a longer-term commitment that would hinder J.J. McCarthy’s eventual ascension. It could also be a way to elicit additional value by way of a trade, but that would require a knowledge that multiple teams would be willing to bid.”
“In the end, the Vikings seem more likely to let Darnold sign elsewhere and preserve their tag for a player such as cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who had a career-high six interceptions in 2024 and is hitting his prime at age 27. If nothing else, it would give the Vikings time to sign Murphy to a longer-term deal while keeping him off the market.”
Per performance and roster need, Murphy Jr. feels like a no-brainer to re-sign, mainly because he’s busted into stardom this season. The veteran defender has nabbed 6 interceptions during his second season in Minnesota, along with a fantastic 76.7 passer-rating-against. His next contract’s price tag has skyrocketed accordingly.
What if, though, the Vikings pursue the avenue utilized by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024? Last March, the Chiefs franchise-tagged cornerback La’Jarius Sneed and later shipped him to the Tennessee Titans for a 3rd-Round pick. Kansas City will spend that 3rd-Rounder this April, conveniently situated at the top of Round 3 because the Titans played so poorly in 2024.
If Minnesota replicated the Chiefs’ model, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could, theoretically, tag Murphy Jr. instead of Darnold and send him to a cornerback-needy club for a mid-round pick.
Before this week, those theories were exclusively reserved for all things Sam Darnold.
The franchise tag window opened Tuesday, February 18th, and teams have two weeks to apply tags.
Free agency is 20 days 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.
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