The biggest thing that differentiates Byron Murphy Jr. from most NFL free agent acquisitions is his age. Still just 25 years old, Murphy has already played four seasons for the Arizona Cardinals, appearing in 57 games with more than 3,500 defensive snaps.
A 2019 second-round pick out of Washington, Murphy had an up-and-down tenure with the Cardinals. There were times where he looked like a future star, and there were times where inconsistency held him back.
This offseason, the Vikings signed Murphy to a back-loaded two-year, $17.5 million contract. Their hope is that after a change of scenery, he can play the best football of his career in 2023 and beyond. In that vein, ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently named Murphy as a "post-hype" breakout candidate this year.
For much of his tenure in Arizona, Murphy was the best cornerback on a team that didn't have good players at the position. He emerged as a valuable slot cornerback, but he struggled when pushed into a broader role in 2022. His passer rating allowed jumped from 87.6 to 101.1, while the Cardinals were 15 points of QBR better without Murphy on the field. After missing just two games in his first three seasons, he was out for the second half of 2022 with a back injury.
The Vikings needed help everywhere at cornerback, but another factor appealed to them: Murphy's age. At 25, he was one of the youngest free agents on the open market, and the hope will be that a more modern, dynamic defense under Brian Flores gets the most out of Murphy's skill set. Flores has typically asked his corners to play man more often than most other coordinators; Murphy will get a chance to prove whether he's up to the task. On a two-year deal, he could land a much larger contract in free agency in 2025.
This year, for Murphy, is about proving himself again in a new defense. He'll be the Vikings' No. 1 cornerback, playing on the outside in base 3-4 looks and moving into the nickel when the team brings a third corner onto the field.
If Murphy has a breakout age-25 season, it would be a huge boost to Brian Flores' entire defense. It would also set Murphy up for a possible extension in Minnesota or a big free agent deal in 2025 if he can put two strong seasons together.
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