Former Vikings cornerback Kris Boyd agrees to one-year deal with the Cardinals

It was Vikings cornerback Kris Boyd who started the entire "Kirko Chains" experience with quarterback Kirk Cousins, according to left tackle Christian Darrisaw.

Darrisaw's diamond chain with his initials "CD" were first put around Cousins on the team flight after an Oct. 2 win in London against the Saints when Boyd approached the big man.

"He asked me, can I put it on? Yeah, he put it on," Darrisaw told the Star Tribune last fall. "Then Kris Boyd being who Kris Boyd is, he's like the energy guy in the locker room and everything like that. He told Kirk to put it on. Kirk was like, fine, I'll put it on. It kind of took off from there. Every away game we win, Kirk got the chains on."

Boyd will bring energy to a new locker room next season after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Cardinals on Monday, the team announced. The former seventh-round pick out of Texas developed into a standout special teams contributor across 58 games in four seasons for the Vikings. He was a free agent after his rookie contract expired.

The Vikings are in the middle of retooling the cornerback group under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, swapping corners with the Cardinals after signing free agent Byron Murphy to a two-year deal last month. Minnesota is returning just two cornerbacks — Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans — who had defensive snaps last season.

In addition to Boyd signing with Arizona, Patrick Peterson signed with the Steelers; Cameron Dantzler was released and claimed by the Commanders; and Duke Shelley agreed to terms with the Raiders. Chandon Sullivan remains a free agent. Despite the Vikings' need at cornerback last year, Boyd played just 37 defensive snaps. He made just six starts over four years.

Boyd, 26, rejoins Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, who overlapped with Boyd as a Vikings defensive assistant in 2019 and 2020, and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, then the Vikings' receivers coach.