The Minnesota Vikings face multiple decisions as they inch their way towards free agency. As their 14-3 regular season fades into the past, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell know that there is no chance to rest on past achievements. Even the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are in the process of planning for the 2025 season at this point.
The Vikings have been in that position for a month. Their season ended after a brutal loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round, and they have to put together a stronger team for the upcoming season
It will not be simple. The Vikings have to figure out what they will do at the quarterback position. It seems fairly clear that their future lies with J.J. McCarthy, their first-round selection in last April’s draft. As long as the Vikings believe that McCarthy will be fully recovered from the torn meniscus he suffered in the preseason and the subsequent surgeries, he will be their quarterback.
However, if there is any doubt that he will be healthy by the start of training camp the Vikings can franchise Sam Darnold. Yes, Darnold had an unexpectedly brilliant year, but there was evidence in the last two games of the season that he is not the quarterback to take the Vikings on another winning journey. At this point, he is a good emergency quarterback – but the team will be better off with a healthy McCarthy under center.
There are other decisions that the Vikings must make about their potential free agents. While the team has weaknesses on the interior offensive line and the secondary has been an issue since Mike Zimmer’s tenure, there are key free agents that they must hold on to.
Murphy and Bynum are keepers in the secondary
Byron Murphy is one of the Vikings most dependable cover corners. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty … [+]
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Cornerback Byron Murphy should be a keeper and the Vikings have to find a way to keep him in the fold. The 27-year-old is coming off his best season and he should be even better in the next two seasons. Murphy had six interceptions and he demonstrated his reliability by playing in all 17 games. He is clearly turning into a ball hawk and the Vikings may be looking at him as the key to their secondary.
He also demonstrated that he was a solid tackler with 81 stops and he also had 14 passes defensed. Holding on to Murphy will be an expensive proposition, but he is the kind of player that will help O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores build on what they accomplished last season.
Safety Cam Bynum has become one of the Vikings most important players. He has grown dramatically under Flores’ leadership, and he fits the Minnesota defensive system perfectly.
Perhaps it has just been the confidence that Flores has shown in him because Bynum became a decisive player in 2023 and he was even better last year. He had 96 tackles from his spot in the secondary along with three interceptions and 10 passes defensed. More than the numbers, Bynum has excellent instincts for the free safety position.
Bynum appears to have an excellent understanding of opposing quarterbacks and that’s why the Vikings need to keep him.
Offensive tackle Cam Robinson played a key role for the Vikings after stud left tackle Christian Darrisaw was injured at midseason. Adofo-Mensah wisely picked up the 29-year-old Robinson from the Jacksonville Jaguars and he is not as talented Darrisaw or right tackle Brian O’Neill, but he provides the Vikings with something that all winning teams need – depth on the offensive line.
The Vikings have huge needs at the offensive guard position but they don’t have to rid themselves of their strength at the OT position in order to get stronger at guard. Robinson serves a purpose and he may not be as expensive as free agents like Ronnie Stanley (Baltimore Ravens) and Alaric Jackson (Los Angeles Rams).
Outside linebacker Patrick Jones was a solid fit for the Vikings and Flores and he had a career-high 7.0 sacks last season. That total might have reached double figures if he had not been slowed by a knee injury in the second half of the season.
Jones is valuable in the Flores system because he is a four-down performer and his greatest ability is rushing the passer.
While the Vikings have 22 players who can be free agents this year, they would be wise to hold on to Murphy, Bynum, Robinson and Jones.