Vikings secondary ‘never going to be exactly the same’ with free agency, possible retirements ahead

When six veterans in the Vikings secondary left TCO Performance Center for the season’s final time this week, there were 740 NFL regular season and postseason games worth of experience walking out the door.

They realized their potential throughout much of a 14-win season. The Vikings led the NFL with 24 interceptions, and most of those picks came from those six defensive backs: safeties Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus and cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin.

And they almost certainly won’t ever play together again exactly as constructed in 2024.

Only Metellus is currently under contract in 2025.

Bynum, the 2021 fourth-round pick whose rookie contract expires in March, is going to hang around Minnesota for a while just in case it’s his last time as a resident. He typically would have booked an annual flight to the Philippines to visit family and friends by now.

“For one of the first times, I don’t have it planned,” Bynum said. “I want to be able to savor being here. I’m not in a rush to get out of here.”

Many Vikings players were in tears after Monday night’s wild-card playoff loss to the Rams, and no row of lockers appeared more emotional than the defensive backs.

Smith and Gilmore may have played their last NFL games. Smith, who turns 36 on Feb. 2 and played in his 200th NFL game against the Rams, said he’ll consider retirement again.

Many others may have played their last games for the Vikings and with Metellus, who through tears described the bonds built this season.

“I have a family for life,” said Metellus, who is under contract through 2025. “Starting down from 22 [Smith], my oldest teammate on the team, to Beezy B [Bynum], Theo [Jackson], Gilly, Shaq, we go through the whole group. I have a family for life in these guys. We had a special room. I was just grateful for the honor to be able to play football with these guys, and do the things I love with the people I love.”

“The relationships in this building,” he added. “That’s what hurt the most. Losing this, losing what we built from the ground up.”

Bynum said, “As humans, it’s tough to do. Whoever comes or goes, it’s never going to be exactly the same. It stings knowing we could’ve had more time, but we didn’t play well enough to have more.”

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah especially has work to do at cornerback, where Mekhi Blackmon, Dwight McGlothern and NaJee Thompson are among the only players currently signed for next season.

Gilmore, who had 10 deflections and one interception in 16 games this season, said he’ll consider retirement this offseason for the first time. The 34-year-old Gilmore said his body is “feeling it” more than normal.

“I’m probably the last corner playing,” Gilmore said accurately of the 2012 draft class. “So, definitely going to sit down with my family and think about what’s best for me and go from there.”

The stoic Gilmore, like Smith, wasn’t ever seen doing the defense’s many viral dance moves after takeaways during games.

Did they ever entice him to practice?

“Nah, they didn’t get me to,” Gilmore said. “They practice too much. They would’ve kept me up night and day rehearsing.”

Murphy, the 26-year-old slot corner, might return if the Vikings can keep up with his asking price.

That price may have gone up after a career-high 14 deflections and six interceptions while playing every game. The Vikings originally signed the former Cardinals second-round pick to a two-year, $17.5 million contract in March 2023.

Like his teammates, Murphy said he’d welcome a return to Minnesota. The Vikings tried to re-sign him before the season, but they couldn’t agree to terms.

“I want the same team together,” Murphy said. “Every single person in this locker room. I wish that was the way it is going to be, but some things happen. This is the NFL. But if I come back here, I’m recruiting everybody that was on this team, because I feel like this is a team to do it.”

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who also has interest elsewhere as he’s expected to interview for three head coaching openings, has leaned on three-safety defenses in his two Vikings seasons.

Safety Theo Jackson, a restricted free agent the team could retain, often draws praise from coaches and may take a step forward if Smith retires or the Vikings don’t re-sign Bynum.

Bynum has started 53 straight games since the start of the 2022 season.

“Obviously, I love it here,” Bynum said. “I have so much love for the state of Minnesota, the city we live in, our area. The community I’ve built. Friends have become family.”

It was upsetting to think about that ending, he added. “More than anything, I just pray that — I know God will put me exactly where I need to be.”

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