Purple Rumor Mill: The Surprising Byron Murphy Theory, Aaron Rodgers Obsession, Kirk Cousins

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.

VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s Vikings rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the February 15th edition.

Vikings Rumors: The Surprising Byron Murphy Theory, Aaron Rodgers Obsession, Kirk Cousins

Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the purple team, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.

Here’s the first batch of the week. All past rumors can be read here.

Rumor: Minnesota is likelier to keep safety Camryn Bynum than cornerback Byron Murphy Jr.

Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler seemed to hint this week that Murphy Jr. could depart the franchise while safety Camryn Bynum stayed.

“Several free agents — Byron Murphy II, Camryn Bynum, Cam Robinson, Aaron Jones — could get cushy deals elsewhere, but GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has shown adaptability in adding new talent. (A prime example is last season’s pass-rush duo of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel,)” Fowler wrote.

“In the secondary, the sense here is Murphy Jr. walks but Bynum could stay under a new deal.”

Murphy Jr. feels like a no-brainer to re-sign, mainly because he’s busted into stardom this season. The veteran defender has nabbed 6 interceptions during his second season in Minnesota, along with a fantastic 76.7 passer-rating-against. His next contract’s price tag has skyrocketed accordingly.

But ESPN claims otherwise.

Rumor: Aaron Rodgers could join the Vikings’ roster this offseason.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is shown during Gang GreenÕs 19-9 loss against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, December 22, 2024, in East Rutherford. © Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Rodgers-to-Minnesota theories were boosted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter earlier this week. “My guess would be that he ends up playing,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show Monday. “He’s gonna want to continue playing. I would guess he’ll want to do it at a place that wants him. Here’s a guy that, I think he’s made more money than any NFL player in history right now. So that gives him the ability to sit back and be selective about what he does and doesn’t want to do.”

Then, he delivered the Vikings morsel. “It’s a fluid, moving thing. Is Minnesota gonna lose Sam Darnold, or are they gonna bring him back?” Schefter rhetorically asked.

Folks ran with those comments from Schefter, and now Rodgers as the Vikings 2025 quarterback seems quasi-realistic, even if he’s 20 years older than J.J. McCarthy.

Rumor: Kirk Cousins could end up with the Jets.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Per ESPN, because Cousins will likely need a new NFL team this offseason, the Jets could make sense as a landing spot.

Rich Cimini spitballed Cousins to the Jets this week. “Kirk Cousins could shake free from the Atlanta Falcons, who have committed to Michael Penix Jr. after the making the switch last season,” Cimini explained. “Cousins is an interesting possibility because his former Vikings GM, Rick Spielman, is now the Jets’ senior football adviser. He’d be cost-effective. The Falcons are on the hook for his $27.5 million base salary (guaranteed), so the Jets would have to pay only the veterans minimum, roughly $1.2 million.”

Why will Cousins become a commodity this offseason? It’s quite simple: He’ll already receive a mighty paycheck from the Falcons, the team that will soon release or trade him. His situation resembles Russell Wilson’s one year ago when a quarterback-needy team could sign him for cheap. That was the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Cleveland Browns seem like the most probable landing spot for Cousins because of the Kevin Stefanski connection, but New York evidently cannot be ruled out.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.