GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Minnesota Vikings went big on offensive and defensive linemen during the early stages of 2025 free agency.
That approach left the Vikings a bit lean in the secondary, and an offseason poll of NFL executives, coaches and scouts compiled by ESPN offered a glimpse at how the league views Minnesota’s cornerback room in particular.
ESPN revealed the NFL’s top 10 cornerbacks entering 2025 based on the poll’s findings, and Minnesota's Byron Murphy Jr. was named an “honorable mention” despite his six-interception Pro Bowl season in 2024.
"He made a lot of plays last year. You have to give him credit,” said one NFL personnel evaluator, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “He was seen as more of an inside guy to start his career, but he's on the outside and producing in a big way."
Murphy does split reps in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme, lining up both on the boundary and in the slot. In 2024, Murphy logged 672 snaps as an outside corner and 325 snaps in the slot.
The Vikings don’t deploy Murphy as your prototypical “lock-down” No. 1 cornerback, like Denver does Pat Surtain. Philadelphia Eagles corner Quinyon Mitchell, a rookie in 2024, made ESPN’s list ahead of Murphy after playing more than 1,000 snaps on the outside and dueling with the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, Mike Evans and Drake London.
Minnesota clearly values Murphy’s role in Flores’ defense, as he was the team’s lone "splash move" in the secondary this offseason. The Vikings gave Murphy CB1 money — $54 million over three seasons — and paired him with more low-key free agents like Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah in free agency. Surprisingly, Minnesota never even signed a replacement for safety Camryn Bynum, who left for a mega deal with the Colts.
The start of Vikings training camp is still over a week away, so there’s still time for Adofo-Mensah and company to make another move. But as it stands, Minnesota’s projected cornerback group of Murphy, Rodgers, Okudah, Mekhi Blackmon and Dwight McGlothern clearly isn’t being feared by opposing NFL front offices.
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