The Minnesota Vikings are heading into the offseason with some critical roster decisions on the horizon, as free agency looms in March. The team is projected to have a tad over $58 million in cap space at the start of the new league year on March 12th. While that’s a decent budget to re-sign key players, it’s not quite enough if Minnesota wants to be a major player in the hunt for premium free agents.

One of the most significant names on the Vikings’ free agency list is cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. Second only to quarterback Sam Darnold in terms of impact, Murphy has been a strong presence on their defense.

However, indications are swirling that Murphy might not be returning to the Vikings next season. According to reports, he’s expected to test the open market rather than re-sign with Minnesota.

Pro Football Focus projects that Murphy could command a deal in the range of three years for $52 million. That puts him among the league’s top earners at his position, ranking 13th in terms of average annual salary for cornerbacks. While some might view Murphy’s on-field performance as justification for such a payday, it appears the Vikings aren’t inclined to stretch that far financially.

NFL insider ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has suggested that the Vikings seem prepared to let Murphy explore opportunities with other teams, effectively letting him “walk” prior to the 2025 season. In addition to Murphy, other experienced names like Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin are also set to hit the free-agency market. This raises the possibility that the Vikings could part ways with the top trio of cornerbacks who logged the most playing time for them in the 2024 season.

Should Minnesota proceed with letting all three depart, the cornerback position suddenly becomes a major area of need. Currently, the Vikings have Mekhi Blackmon, who will be returning from an ACL injury, and Dwight McGlothern, a 2024 undrafted free agent, as their primary cornerbacks under contract for 2025. Thus, a significant overhaul of the secondary may be on the agenda for the Vikings.

Of course, there’s still a window for the Vikings to reassess and potentially change their trajectory with Murphy. But as it stands now, it looks like they may be searching for a new cornerstone at cornerback when the 2025 season rolls around. The offseason chess game is just beginning, and the moves made in the coming months will be crucial to shaping the future of this team.