There’s a real chance that the Minnesota Vikings are forced to rebuild their defensive secondary this offseason, as their top four cornerbacks and two safeties are all due for new contracts entering the 2025 league year.
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff will likely prioritize Pro Bowl corner Byron Murphy Jr., but the team could be seeking replacements for full-time starters like Cam Bynum, Stephon Gilmore, and potentially even Harrison Smith this offseason.
Many NFL Draft experts see the Vikings targeting a potential franchise cornerback, like Shavon Revel Jr. or Benjamin Morrison, with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. ESPN staff writer Ben Solak recently named the Vikings in an intriguing trade idea — pick No. 24 overall to the Cleveland Browns for superstar corner Denzel Ward.
Here was Solak’s take on the potential blockbuster move:
With no contending future in sight, I expect the Browns to trade players for picks. Both cornerbacks Denzel Ward (who had an excellent season) and Greg Newsome II (who had an uncharacteristically shaky season) should be made available, and one will be dealt. For my money, I expect a young, rising team to put a first-round pick on the table for Ward (Packers? Vikings?) and give the Browns the draft capital they need to aggressively rebuild.
This would certainly be a bold way to fix a major roster need. Pairing Murphy Jr. with Ward would have the Vikings set at the position for years to come, with a rising star in Josh Metellus still firmly in the mix in a nickel / safety role.
Ward signed a five-year, $100.5 million extension with Cleveland back in 2022, and is under contract through 2027. His cap hit in 2025 of $24.5 million is more than reasonable for a No. 1 cornerback, and there’s a potential out in his deal in 2026 if Minnesota needs the cap savings down the road. When you factor in Minnesota’s wealth of cap space entering 2025 free agency, the money on Ward’s deal shouldn’t be a factor, especially if the team opts to move on from Sam Darnold this offseason.
Ward will turn 28 in April, so he’s right in the middle of his prime. Minnesota could favor getting younger on defense — which is much-needed — by addressing the secondary in the draft, but as Adofo-Mensah’s previous draft classes have shown, there’s considerable risk in going that route. Both Revel Jr. and Morrison, top cornerback prospects who figure to be available late on Day 1 of this April’s draft, are coming off season-ending injuries. Pivoting to a blockbuster trade — like Ward and his contract for some sort of pick swap — definitely makes some sense on paper.
Working against the Vikings making a major move like this is their limited draft capital. They’re projected to have four total selections in 2025, including a third-round compensatory pick courtesy of Kirk Cousins. Would a franchise that fielded one of the NFL’s oldest 53-man rosters in 2024 really be willing to trade a first-round pick?
This one feels unlikely, but it’s possible the Vikings get creative in addressing their most under-the-radar offseason need.
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