The Minnesota Vikings will look very different from the team that won 14 games during the 2024 regular season. That includes both sides of the all, where high-profile players like safety Camryn Bynum exited the Vikings for the Indianapolis Colts in free agency.
His departure ends his celebration dance partnership with fellow safety Josh Metellus, who said he was “happy for my dawg,” and that the “movie never ends”, in a post on X on March 10.
“The movie will never end,” Bynum said in response. “Love you family.”
“All glory to Jesus!” Bynum posted on X on March 10. “So grateful for my journey up to this point and so excited for the future! I love y’all!”
Bynum, who turns 27 in July, agreed to a four-year, $60 million contract with the Colts, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on March 10. The deal cannot be made official or announced by the Colts until March 12. But Bynum shared his reaction to his new situation.
“It’s about to be a MOOOOVIEEEEE,” Bynum posted while quoting the NFL’s post on the deal.
“Grateful for every part of my journey and thank you to every person that has been a part of this movie,” Bynum said in another post following his Vikings exit.
Camryn Bynum Was Key Piece for Brian Flores’ Defense
GettyCamryn Bynum #24 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after his interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Bynum finished the 2024 season with 96 total tackles for the Vikings, tying his career high with 2 fumble recoveries while setting new bests with 10 pass deflections and 3 interceptions.
Spotrac projected Bynum could command a three-year, $53.2 million deal in free agency. He beat that estimation despite ranking as The Athletic’s 11th-best safety and No. 132 overall free agent in the class.
“Bynum might not be the most explosive player, but his smarts and ability to process make him an option for almost any system, having played under three defensive coordinators in four seasons, including Brian Flores’ ever-changing scheme,” The Athletic’s David DeChant, Jourand Rodrigue, and Vic Tafur wrote in February. “Few possess a better knowledge of its intricacies.”
Bynum’s potential exit was expected to have a ripple effect on the Vikings.
“Losing him would create another need for a Minnesota team that already has plenty of them,” the Athletic forecasted.
Vikings Have Options to Replace Camryn Bynum
GettyCamryn Bynum #24 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts against the San Francisco 49ers.
Allowing Bynum to leave in free agency left additional wiggle room that the Vikings have used to re-sign cornerback Byron Murphy (three years, $66 million) while adding talent like Jonathan Allen to their defensive line.
Where the Vikings turn to replace Bynum remains to be seen, though there are several candidates on the roster.
The Vikings signed former Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks safety Bubba Bolden.
However, the 2022 undrafted free agent has never played a snap in a regular season game. Other options include Jay Ward and Theo Jackson, two recent mid-to-late-round draft picks who have flashed in limited roles behind Bynum and the Vikings’ other top safeties.
There also remains a chance that six-time Pro Bowler Harrison Smith will return for a 14th season. Smith, 36, is under contract for 2025 but could retire. That would create another void.
The Vikings own the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 draft, but their next selection is No. 97.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Vikings Fan Favorite Sends Strong Message to Former Teammate appeared first on Heavy Sports.