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Cam Bynum Is A Meaningful Loss In An Offseason Of Addition

Camryn Bynum etched a Jolibee into his thigh pads. It’s the logo for a popular Filipino fast-food chain. “One of those ‘If you know, you know’ type of things,” he says.

It was a fitting image for Bynum, who floated in the Minnesota Vikings’ backfield and stung like a bee. He’s proud of his heritage. Bynum grew up in California but lives in the Philippines in the offseason. However, he made Minnesota a second home. People fell in love with his hard-nosed play and turnover celebrations, which is why losing him in free agency stings.

When the Rick Spielman regime took him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, some felt he was Harrison Smith’s heir apparent. However, Smith outlasted Bynum, like he will Armageddon and the apocalypse.

In an offseason where the Vikings followed the Philadelphia Eagles’ model and went all-out to improve their trenches, Bynum signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Many felt it was an overpay, but the Colts believe he’s a perfect fit for their defense.

“Dear Minnesota,” Bynum wrote in a goodbye message, “you have become a place I can call home forever. A place where fans become friends, and friends become family.”

Minnesota couldn’t overpay for Bynum and build an infrastructure around J.J. McCarthy. Still, it’s a significant loss for his teammates. “24,” Smith said last year before pausing to collect himself, “I feel I’ve been a mentor [to him].”

Losing Bynum tugs at the heartstrings and leaves a void on the gridiron. The Vikings bolstered their trenches and have skill guys on offense. However, their cornerback depth behind Byron Murphy is uncertain. They also haven’t re-signed Josh Metellus, and Theo Jackson must fill in for Bynum.

“It wasn’t easy to let go of Beezy,” defensive coordinator Flores said at minicamp. “He was obviously a critical piece. But we also felt confident Theo could step into that role and play at a good clip. He’s shown that so far. It’s the very early, very early stages, but we’re trying to build the foundation of communication, camaraderie. … He’s there in all those areas.”

Even with McCarthy on a rookie contract, the Vikings had to cut corners somewhere. Adding Ryan Kelly and Will Fries should help keep McCarthy upright. Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave should help plant the opposing quarterback into the ground. However, if they don’t, teams may be able to move the ball against Minnesota’s secondary.

All general managers must make cost/benefit decisions. Still, Minnesota’s lousy 2022 draft meant that its free-agent spending was more like a tax than a luxury. They wouldn’t need Fries if Ed Ingram had panned out; Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth could have bolstered the secondary.

Their 2022 class didn’t pan out partly because the Vikings had recently hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and he and his staff scrambled to prepare for the draft. However, part of it was that Kevin O’Connell had hired Ed Donatell as his defensive coordinator.

Some of their defensive picks may not have panned out. Still, Minnesota drafted Cine, Booth, and Brian Asamoah to fit Donatell’s defense, which he designed to play everyone behind the ball and rush multiple defenders to it. Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme relies on defenders who can tackle because fewer players are in the backfield.

Bynum was a product of the Spielman regime. He’s a converted corner who thrived in Flores’ defense. Bynum felt like a perfect fit next to Metellus, another Spielman holdover, in Flores’s scheme. Now, he’ll play in Indianapolis while Metellus and the Vikings figure out his contract.

After four years, Bynum has floated off, swiftly and gracefully. Still, that doesn’t mean his absence won’t sting a little.

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