Vikings Are About to Split Up With $17 Million Vet to Sign Up Future All-Pro
San Francisco 49ers All-Pro cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. will play his final season with the Minnesota Vikings if the veteran player plays out his contract. It’s possible that Charvarius Ward is on the other side of free agency.
Ward was identified by Bleacher Report’s scouting department as Murphy’s backup should the Vikings decide against re-signing him. Murphy signed a two-year, $17.5 million contract with the Vikings in 2023; it expires after the current campaign.
Murphy, who was signed by the Vikings to play slot cornerback but was moved outside because of depth concerns, is facing a make-or-break season. This year, Murphy will likely play more in the slot, according to Brian Flores, who noted that Murphy performed better outside because “that’s where we needed him.”
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Murphy, 26, led the team with three interceptions in the previous season but performed poorly in coverage, allowing a 102.0 passer rating when targeted.
Although Ward’s positional versatility isn’t quite as great, his talent is still evident. He might be a more useful addition to the Vikings secondary than Murphy was last season, when safeties Josh Metellus and Camryn Bynum—a converted college cornerback—saw more snaps in the slot.
Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors for 49ers’ Charvarius Ward in 2024
Ward Charvarius
The pass meant for Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer is intercepted by Getty 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (7).
Ward, 28, had a breakthrough season last year. Since being left undrafted in 2018, he has progressively moved up the NFL ranks.
Ward received Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. He also had the fourth-best coverage grade (86.5) of any cornerback in the league and an overall defensive grade of 84.7 from PFF. With a strong 8.0% missed tackle rate, he ranked seventh in tackles (71). He demonstrated his reliability as a tackler.
In 2023, the 49ers may be able to depend on Ward for coverage. In addition to forcing 21 incompletions and snagging five interceptions, he was a standout cover tackler with 20 pass stops. As opposing quarterbacks were better off focusing their attacks on the 49ers’ secondary, Ward set a career low in passer rating allowed (59.2), according to PFF’s John Kosko.
Despite being regarded as one of the league’s top press corners, Ward spent 68.4% of his snaps in zone coverage.
Under ideal circumstances, a player of Ward’s caliber probably wouldn’t be able to reach free agency, but with the 49ers projected to be $38 million over the 2025 salary cap, they will have to part ways with a number of talented players next season, particularly Brock Purdy, who is also due for an extension.
CB Khyree Jackson of the Vikings is rated as a Top-5 rookie fit.
Jackson Khyree
Khyree Jackson, a rookie cornerback for the Getty Vikings, runs the 40-yard dash during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine held in Indianapolis.
Pundits are noticing the Vikings’ aggressive 2024 draft, which seems promising.
Fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson was ranked as the No. 5 best fit by CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso, who evaluated the top 10 “rookie-team fits.” Jackson’s talent and the needs of Flores’ scheme for his cornerbacks made him an excellent fit.
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