The Minnesota Vikings tipped their hand ahead of free agency that at least one major change is coming to a critical unit on the roster.
Minnesota inked safety Theo Jackson to a two-year contract on Thursday, March 6, which likely spells the end for one of their two established safeties.
“The #Vikings are signing safety Theo Jackson to a two-year deal worth $12.615 million, his agency Equity Sports announced,” Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reported via an X post. “Jackson was set to be a restricted free agent; his return helps fortify the safety position with Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum’s futures uncertain.”
Vikings Face Deluge of Free Agency in Secondary
The question now becomes who the Vikings will prioritize between Smith and Bynum. Smith will play next season at 36 years old if he returns, though he has openly contemplated retirement over the past couple offseasons.
However, Bynum is projected to ink a three-year contract at north of $53 million, as he enters free agency for the first time at the age of 26. A fourth-round pick, Bynum has been one of the few draft investments in the secondary that has paid off for Minnesota, starting all 17 regular season games in each of the past three years — two of which the Vikings reached the playoffs.
That said, Bynum’s free agency coincides with the free agencies of all three of the team’s starting cornerbacks from last season. The best among them is Byron Murphy Jr., who put up a career-high 6 interceptions in 2024 and earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
Spotrac projects that Murphy could command up to $22 million annually on a new contract. Thus, if the Vikings want Murphy back, it’s a harder sell to pay Bynum as well. Based on their respective market values, Minnesota would have to invest around $40 million annually in their top cornerback/safety combo.
That may be too rich to justify considering ESPN’s Kevin Seifert projected the team will invest nearly $100 million in defensive tackle Milton Williams this offseason and must also upgrade the interior of the offensive line in front of Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy or whoever takes snaps for the Vikings come Week 1 of 2025.
Byron Murphy Jr.’s Cost Could Complicate Camryn Bynum’s Future in Minnesota
If Smith wants to return for another season, the Vikings must rework his contract to avoid a
$25 million hit in 2026.
However, if that happens, Smith’s experience and locker room presence at a vastly lower salary probably makes more sense than paying Bynum like one of the top players at the position league-wide. A $17 million annual average salary would make Bynum the fifth-highest paid safety in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
The Vikings also hold the No. 24 overall pick in the first round of the upcoming draft, and what they decide to do there could also impact whether they keep Murphy, Bynum, Smith or some combination of the three.
Most analysts predict Minnesota will look at a defensive back there, most likely a cornerback who the team could pair with Murphy. Depending on the spending the Vikings do across other positions of need, Bynum could be back in 2025 to create an elite secondary.
However, Smith still makes more financial sense regardless of scenario — assuming he wants to return to the gridiron next year.
