The Pittsburgh Steelers could be active in free agency at the cornerback position, where a deep class is expected, but on Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings took a step to prevent one of the top cornerbacks set to hit free agency this March from making it to the open market.
According to a report by Dan Graziano of ESPN , the Vikings have agreed to push back the void date on the contract of Byron Murphy Jr. , giving the team up until March 11 to negotiate a contract extension with the cornerback.
Murphy's contract had been scheduled to void this week. If the contract had voided, the Vikings would still have been able to negotiate an extension, but the void would have deposited a $4.2 million dead cap hit on Minnesota's salary cap roles for 2025.
By keeping the contract open, the Vikings give themselves the chance to spread that cap hit out over the length of a new deal.
Murphy, 27, is one of the crown jewels of a star-studded free agent class at cornerback, but is also seen as a key piece of what was a dramatically improved Minnesota Vikings defense in 2024.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound defensive back splits his time between outside cornerback and the slot, making him a versatile weapon that defensive coordinator Brian Flores used to disguise his defensive schemes.
This past season, he was a first-time Pro Bowler after racking up 81 tackles, six tackles for loss, 14 passes defended, six interceptions and a forced fumble. He intercepted AFC quarterback Drake Maye in the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games, returning it for an easy touchdown.
The Steelers will likely be in the market for at least one player at cornerback this offseason
, with starting outside corner Donte Jackson
and slot man Cam Sutton both set to hit free agency.
Jackson dealt with a significant back injury in the second half of the season, missing playing time and also displaying a downturn in performance after a strong start to the season. Sutton did not ever appear to gel with the rest of the defense after returning mid-season from a lengthy domestic violence suspension.
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