🏈 “JUST IN: Vikings Finalizing Deal to SIGN 4x All-Pro – Here’s What It Means for NFC North

The Minnesota Vikings may have Super Bowl ambitions, but questions remain in the secondary. Their current outside cornerback duo—Isaiah Rodgers and Mekhi Blackmon—features two promising players, though Rodgers missed all of last season due to injury. Meanwhile, the departure of Camryn Bynum leaves a potential void at safety.

Though Bynum wasn’t a superstar, he performed at a high enough level to earn a top-10 salary among NFL safeties, and his absence will be felt—especially if 36-year-old veteran Harrison Smith, likely entering his final season, begins to decline.

Josh Metellus is a capable starter at strong safety, but adding another quality piece to the safety group could strengthen a Vikings team that came within one game of securing the NFC’s top playoff seed last year.

Vikings Could Benefit from Depth at Safety After Bynum Exit

In defensive coordinator Brian Flores’s aggressive, blitz-oriented scheme, safeties play a vital role—not just in pass coverage, but also in run defense and deep zone responsibilities. That’s why Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzano believes Minnesota should target free agent safety Justin Simmons, formerly of the Denver Broncos.

“With Camryn Bynum now in Indianapolis and Harrison Smith potentially seeing reduced snaps in his 14th season, the Vikings could use another safety,” Manzano writes. “Simmons, 31, made three straight Pro Bowls from 2021 to 2023 and had a solid year with the Falcons in 2024. He could form a strong rotation with Smith, Metellus, and Theo Jackson in Minnesota.”

While Simmons is no longer in his prime, his All-Pro selection in 2023 shows he still has something left in the tank. His performance last year in Atlanta was decent, and in a thin free-agent market—especially at such a specialized position—he might be the best upgrade option remaining before training camp.

Although Simmons was once among the league’s highest-paid safeties, he likely won’t command anywhere near his previous salary. A one-year deal in the $3–5 million range could be enough to bring him in, and for the Vikings, that move could be a smart, timely boost to their defense.