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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Anderson

ESPN identifies the best fit for the Vikings in Free Agency

The NFL offseason is full of rumors and speculation, and they will only continue to ramp up as the NFL Combine kicks off on February 28th. The Minnesota Vikings, like all other NFL teams, will be busy trying to gauge interest in potential trade ideas or free agency connections with other teams and agents. The Vikings have a plethora of needs across their roster and will likely need to utilize free agency to address some of those needs.

On Tuesday, Matt Bowen of ESPN identified every NFL team’s best fit for players in free agency. For the Vikings, it’s the Cardinals’ impending free agent Byron Murphy Jr.

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” The Vikings would have to make some moves to create more money on the salary cap, but there is a real need for coverage corners in Minnesota to fit the scheme of new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Only Detroit and Chicago allowed more yards per pass attempt than the Vikes last season (7.3). Murphy’s production took a hit this season — four pass breakups — but he did record four interceptions and 12 pass breakups in 2021. And he has the man-coverage traits to play inside or outside the numbers”

This isn’t the first time that Murphy Jr. has been linked to the Vikings, and it’s a logical match. The Vikings are in need of a veteran cornerback, and Murphy Jr. would not only provide veteran leadership but also the ability to play both inside and outside. This would allow the Vikings to avoid drafting a cornerback early in the NFL Draft.

A lot can happen in the weeks leading up to free agency, but landing Murphy Jr. would be a slam-dunk start to the offseason for the Vikings.

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