The Jacksonville Jaguars need to bolster their cornerback group in the offseason. According to a recent report, they plan to check off that box in free agency. And if that's the case, the Jags should be thrilled that one of their top options will likely be available.
Insider Jeremy Fowler reports that cornerback Byron Murphy II won't probably return to the Minnesota Vikings in 2025. He's slated to hit the open market, and Pro Football Focus expects him to sign a three-year deal worth $72 million. That annual average of $17 million would make him the 12th highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.
A second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, Murphy joined the Vikes in 2022. At the time he was coming off an injury-riddled campaign, so he settled on a two-year contract worth $22 million. Looking back, the deal proved to be a bargain as the former Washington Husky logged 27 passes defensed and nine interceptions the past two seasons.
Minnesota is set to have around $58 million in space, but have many decisions to make, so it's not a given that they'll retain Murphy. Apart from him, safety Cam Bynum and fellow cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin are also slated to hit the open market. The Vikes may manage to sign a couple of them, but not all. Based on Fowler's scoop, Murphy won't be one of them.
Why Byron Murphy Jr. is the ideal free-agent target for the Jaguars
The Jaguars have a dependable boundary cornerback in Tyson Campbell but need another one on the opposite side of the field. Ronald Darby was the starter last year but was eventually phased out in favor of backup Montaric Brown, who didn't struggle as badly but wasn't the answer either. Jarrian Jones is also in the mix, but the team's brass may want to keep him in the slot, where he showed promise as a rookie.
Brown is better suited for a reserve role and Darby could be a cap casualty, so Jacksonville is in need of a CB2. They'll have no shortage of options in the draft. Will Johnson or Travis Hunter will probably be available at No. 5 but the Jags could also wait until Round 2 and still come out with a good player. That said, they could also take the free-agency route, and Byron Murphy will be among the best players available.
Going after Murphy won't be cheap but would be worth it. Then again, the Jags could also target D.J. Reed, Carlton Davis, or Paulson Adebo. All of them are proven commodities, and the choice could ultimately come down to the one that better fits defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile's scheme and the team's budget.
As of right now, the Jags have around $32 million in cap space but could get an additional $20 million if they move on from a few players and/or restructure some contracts.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars will be in a position to make a run for Byron Murphy (or any other cornerback) if they want to take care of one of their biggest needs in free agency.