Vikings’ Defensive Coordinator Hints at Potential Position Change for Byron Murphy Jr.

Photo Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday afternoon, the Minnesota Vikings coaches met with reporters as part of the pre-draft media availability session, since the NFL Draft is right around the corner. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores hinted at a potential position change for one the team’s best defensive players for next season.

Flores hinted at veteran cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. as the player who might undergo a position change.

"I think he was playing some really, really good football prior to his injury," Flores said. "Byron's leadership, his competitiveness, his experience in the back end, I think it was very, very positive for us a year ago. We want to continue to improve on that. His position of flexibility was something that I thought we took advantage of you know, perhaps we'll get him inside at nickel a little bit more, he played a little bit more outside last year, that's where we needed him."

Before being sidelined by a knee injury for the final three games of the season, Murphy Jr. started in 14 games last season. He ended the year with 43 tackles, a forced fumble, and three interceptions, while recording 13 pass deflections.

Before joining the Vikings, Murphy predominantly served as a nickel cornerback during his first four seasons in the league with the Arizona Cardinals. 

Pro Football Focus reveals that he played 1,483 snaps at nickel and 1,722 snaps on the outside, showcasing that a potential change wouldn’t be out of the norm for the sixth year defensive back. 

Murphy Jr. was on the field for 962 snaps this season, with about a fifth of them (22.3%) in the nickel position. His slot coverage ranking placed him at 52nd in the NFL, highlighting some struggles there. 

He allowed 20 receptions on 29 targets, resulting in 309 yards and three touchdowns, with 164 yards gained after the catch.

As the NFL Draft approaches this week, it's important to note that Murphy Jr.'s potential move inside could be influenced by the team's possession of the No. 11 and No. 23 overall picks on Thursday night. 

If the team fails to land a quarterback, they could shift their focus to bolstering the defensive side of the roster, seeking another outside cornerback to complement recently signed free agent veteran Shaquille Griffin. 

This scenario could lead to Murphy Jr. moving back to nickel full-time.

"You can never have enough corners," Flores said. "It's a passing league. There's a lot of great receivers. So, you can never have enough. I think every team feels that way between the amount of receivers they can put on the field, attrition, injuries. You can never have enough good corners or really good players throughout the roster."