Byron Murphy – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Seahawks Week 6 injury report: Byron Murphy and Riq Woolen ruled OUT for TNF

The Seattle Seahawks are having a quick turnaround to snap their current losing streak, as they will take on the San Francisco 49ers tomorrow on Thursday Night Football. Unfortunately, they will be shorthanded once more on their defense, as a handful of key contributors won’t be playing.

The Seahawks have already ruled rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and cornerback Riq Woolen as OUT for TNF. Murphy II will be missing his third-straight game, and Woolen will miss his first.

Fortunately, there is some good news. Head coach Mike Macdonald said Boye Mafe and Derick Hall, who are both listed as QUESTIONABLE, should be back. As for safety Julian Love, he will be a game time decision.

The full injury report can be seen below.

Ruled OUT for Thursday:

DT Byron Murphy II – Hamstring
LB Uchenna Nwosu – Thigh
CB Riq Woolen – Ankle

Doubtful for Thursday:

No players carry a DOUBTFUL designation

Questionable for Thursday:

LB Derick Hall – Foot
S Julian Love – Hamstring
LB Boye Mafe – Knee

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Several Seahawks defenders at risk of missing TNF vs. 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks must swiftly place Sunday’s disappointing home defeat to the New York Giants behind them. There’s no rest for the wicked as the Seahawks prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. It’s Seattle’s first NFC West showdown of the campaign, and Mike Macdonald’s squad will put its division lead at risk.

The Seahawks held a walkthrough on Monday as opposed to a traditional practice. Several key defenders were limited or missing altogether. Pass rushers Derick Hall (foot) and Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) did not participate, nor did rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (hamstring), and cornerback Riq Woolen (ankle). Boye Mafe (knee), and safeties Julian Love (hamstring) and Rayshawn Jenkins (hand) were limited.

Coach Macdonald has already ruled out Nwosu. Nwosu will miss his sixth consecutive game despite not being placed on IR to begin the season. His injury is obviously taken significantly longer to heal than originally anticipated.

Murphy II is also expected to remain sidelined on Thursday due to the quick turnaround. Murphy was injured in the Week 3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The former Texas Longhorns standout has recorded half a sack and seven pressures this season as a first-year contributor.

Hall and Woolen should see their statuses updated during Tuesday’s practice. Hall leads the Seahawks in sacks with five quarterback takedowns, so his participation on Thursday is imperative. Woolen is Seattle’s No. 1 cornerback and his absence would leave the secondary susceptible to the threats posed by Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.

Limited participation for Mafe, Love, and Jenkins indicates they’re on track to play Thursday, but their practice involvement will be worth monitoring on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Seahawks Week 5 injury report: Byron Murphy II ruled OUT, Williams to return

The Seattle Seahawks are going to be considerably healthier facing the New York Giants than they were when they played on Monday Night Football. The injury designations for this weekend are fairly favorable, and it appears Seattle is going to get several players back for Sunday.

Against the Lions, the Seahawks were without Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, Leonard Williams, Jerome Baker, Byron Murphy, and lost Julian Love during the game. But for Week 5, it appears Seattle will be getting at least five of the six back.

As of right now, only two of the six players I mentioned in the previous paragraph carry an injury designation. Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II will miss his second-straight game, while safety Julian Love and linebacker Boye Mafe are QUESTIONABLE.

The most encouraging news is the fact Uchenna Nwosu, who has been dealing with a MCL sprain since the preseason finale, carries NO injury designation. So it seems he will see his first action of the 2024 season.

The full injury report for Sunday’s game can be seen below.

Ruled OUT for Sunday:

DT Byron Murphy II – Hamstring
NT Cameron Young – Knee (returning from the PUP list)

DOUBTFUL:

No players carry a DOUBTFUL designation for Sunday

Questionable:

LB Boye Mafe – Knee
S Julian Love – Thigh

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NFL analysts suggests the Vikings replace starting cornerback

Should the Minnesota Vikings be looking towards the NFL’s trade market to find an improvement over starting cornerback Byron Murphy?

The Minnesota Vikings’ defense has once again been one of the big storylines in the NFL. Last season, the defense was the only thing keeping the Vikings afloat at times. This season, they’re getting much more help from their offense but have still put together a scheme that has given opposing quarterbacks fits.

The defense has been a driving force in the Vikings’ undefeated start, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t areas that can be improved. Bleacher Report NFL analyst Matt Holder suggests one of those improvements could be at the cornerback position.

Byron Murphy has been one of the Vikings’ starting cornerbacks all season, but he’s also been a weak spot in the Vikings’ defense. Murphy has given up completions on more than 70% of the passes he’s been targeted and has allowed the opposing quarterback to achieve a passer rating over 117 when targeting him, according to the charting from PFF. Murphy has also missed several tackles this season, putting the defense in tough spots.

Those numbers have Holder suggesting the Vikings reach out to the Buffalo Bills and work out a trade for their former first-round cornerback, Kaiir Elam. Elam hasn’t been a factor during his three seasons with the Bills, but Holder argues that’s because he’s been overtaken on the depth chart by a good corner in his own right, Christian Benford.

Given the lack of playing time Elam has seen in Buffalo, it may not take much to pry him away from the Bills. That would be necessary for the Vikings, as they don’t have much draft capital to offer up in any potential trade. Still, it may be worth reaching out and getting a price check on the former first-rounder to see if he could be had and at least compete with Murphy for a starting spot.

Week 4 preview and prediction: Seahawks @ Lions

The Seattle Seahawks are seeking their third 4-0 start in franchise history, and their first since the 2020 season. Standing in their way is a quality Detroit Lions team, hungry to end their current six-game losing skid to the Seahawks.

Since defeating Seattle 28-24 in the 2012 season, the Lions have struggled mightily against the Seahawks, especially at home, where they have lost the last two-straight games in each of the last two seasons. In both instances, Seattle outlasted Detroit in wild 48-45 and 37-31 (OT) shootouts. Offensive fireworks have defined the recent series, but on Monday, injuries seem to be taking the center stage.

For the Lions, they will be without their All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, which is a considerable loss to their offensive line. Unfortunately, the Seahawks may not be as able to take advantage as they would have even a week ago. Seattle has already ruled out defensive tackles Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II, as well as pass rushers Boye Mafe and Uchenna Nwosu. The Seahawks defense, particularly the pass rush, has been outright suffocating. Without some of the best players on their defensive front, Jared Goff and Co. may have more time than what quarterbacks this season who have played Seattle have enjoyed.

So the Lions offensive line is weakened, and the Seahawks defensive line is as well. It appears to be a battle between a movable object and a stoppable force. But in today’s NFL, take the side of a weaker offense vs. a weakened defense. Seattle has also shown vulnerabilities against the run, which has plagued this unit for years.

To win this game, the load is likely going to have to be shouldered by the offense. Fortunately for the Seahawks, this unit is getting Kenneth Walker III back into the fold after missing the two previous weeks. Having Walker be the primary ballcarrier, with Zach Charbonnet being able to come off the bench for a change of pace, will help give Seattle’s ground attack more teeth to threaten the Lions.

Geno Smith is also more than capable of performing against Detroit. In the last two games against the Lions, Smith has thrown for 648 yards and four touchdowns, as well as leading the game-winning drive in overtime last year. Smith’s statistics haven’t popped off the page in 2024, but he has been playing exceptionally well. Smith also has the most game-winning drives in the entire NFL since the 2022 season.

The Lions are healthier, more experienced, and more established with this current regime. They are coming off a year where they were two quarters of football away from reaching the Super Bowl. But I can’t help but lean towards the Seahawks in this one. Perhaps it is me leaning on recent history. Perhaps it is an intuition. Or perhaps it is the fact Monday night is Seattle’s night. The Seahawks own the best win percentage (.714) in NFL history on Monday nights, and have gone 3-0 in their last three outings on MNF… including a Week 4 road showdown last year.

Give me the Seahawks in another shootout, with more heroics from Smith late.

Prediction: Seahawks over Lions 38-35

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Seahawks rule Byron Murphy and Leonard Williams OUT for MNF, Kenneth Walker will play

The Seattle Seahawks will face their biggest challenge of the season on Monday night when they take on the Detroit Lions. Seattle is 3-0, but they’ve faced the likes of Bo Nix, Jacoby Brissett, Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle to start the season. The Lions, led by Jared Goff and Co., will prove to be a considerably more difficult opponent.

Unfortunately, the Seahawks defense will be without four of their best players along the defensive front. Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Boye Mafe, and Uchenna Nwosu have all been ruled OUT for Monday. Detroit will be without their All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, but without Williams and Murphy, the Seahawks won’t have their best players to take advantage of the Lions’ potential weakness up front.

The silver lining is Seattle has defeated Detroit in the last three meetings without either Williams or Murphy, but not having them is going to be a legitimate blow to this defense.

Head coach Mike Macdonald said Boye Mafe hurt his knee against the Patriots in Week 2, but says it’s “nothing major.” It would appear Seattle is being cautious with one of their best pass rushers. The season is a marathon, not a sprint to be decided in Week 4.

The good news is running back Kenneth Walker III is going to play in his first game since Week 1. The Seahawks do not have him listed on the injury report, and Macdonald confirmed it as much himself on Saturday.

Linebacker Jerome Baker, who missed Week 3 vs. his former team in the Dolphins, is listed as QUESTIONABLE. Given how depleted Seattle’s defense is, hopefully Baker will be good to go.

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Seahawks Week 4 injury report: Byron Murphy and Leonard Williams DNP

The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up to head back to the Motor City for a third-straight year to face the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately, injuries for both teams are starting to become a major storyline. Even worse for the Seahawks, it’s a hit for two of their biggest (literally) defenders.

In Week 3, both Byron Murphy II and Leonard Williams left the game early. Williams had a rib injury, and Murphy hurt his hamstring. There is a report from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN suggesting Murphy could miss time as a result. Both players did not participate in practice.

The good news is running back Kenneth Walker III did take the field as a limited participant! It was his first practice since injuring his oblique in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos.

The full injury report can be seen below.

Did Not Participate:

G Anthony Bradford – Knee
LB Jerome Baker – Hamstring
LB Boye Mafe – Knee
DE Leonard Williams – Ribs
DT Byron Murphy II – Hamstring
LB Uchenna Nwosu – Knee

Limited Participation:

TE Noah Fant – Toe
RB Kenneth Walker III – Oblique
G Laken Tomlinson – Ankle
TE Pharaoh Brown – Foot
LB Derick Hall – Hip
NT Jonathan Hankins – Calf

Full Participation:

WR Tyler Lockett – Thigh
WR Jake Bobo – Knee
WR DK Metcalf – Hand
TE Brady Russell – Shoulder
RB Kenny McIntosh – Hand
LB Tyrel Dodson
S K’Von Wallace

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Seahawks practice squad moves indicate Byron Murphy II could miss time

Seattle Seahawks rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II exited Sunday’s Week 3 victory over the Miami Dolphins with a hamstring injury. Head coach Mike Macdonald provided an update earlier this week, claiming the severity of Murphy’s setback is unknown. On Tuesday, the Seahawks made some practice squad moves that could indicate they’re planning to be without their first-year defender against the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football in Week 4.

The Seahawks signed nose tackle Matt Gotel and cornerback Ty Hall to their practice squad, the team announced via social media. To make room on the p-squad, general manager John Schneider placed running back George Holani on PS injured reserve, and released S Marquise Blair. Gotel is a familiar face, having spent large portions of training camp on the 90 man roster.

Murphy presumably suffered the injury when his legs split in irregular directions.

https://twitter.com/mookiealexander/status/1838284735837298868

Murphy totaled just 12 snaps before exiting with the injury. Veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed saw an uptick in snaps as a result, playing a season-high 49 snaps, accounting for 80% of Seattle’s defensive plays. Leonard Williams was also injured in Sunday’s win. Johnathan Hankins took on a larger role, too.

If Murphy and/or Williams are sidelined, Gotel could quickly be elevated to the active roster, or as a game-day call-up from the practice squad.

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Despite their trio of safeties, PFF is not kind grading the Vikings’ secondary

Despite having one of the better trio of safeties, PFF is not high on the overall secondary room of the Minnesota Vikings.

Pro Football Focus liked the Minnesota linebacker room but did not like the Vikings defensive line whatsoever. Now onto the secondary rankings, once again, PFF is not high on this group for Minnesota either.

Despite having three good safeties in Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum, and Josh Metellus, PFF has ranked the Minnesota secondary at No. 27 in the NFL.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores introduced an exotic defense in 2023, and it came with mixed results. Safety Camryn Bynum was the top-graded player in the secondary (73.2), while Harrison Smith’s 68.9 grade was the fourth-best on the team. Here, you get solid but not great players in the secondary, but no superstar players are taking this unit to higher levels.

Going away from the grades, Bynum led all corners and safeties last year with 104 tackles, and Metellus was 10th in the NFL with 86 tackles. While that’s just two players within a whole secondary unit, it feels like Minnesota has a top-10 safety room with some work-in-progress at corner. Byron Murphy is a legit corner for the Vikings, but when you get past him, there are some major concerns.

Minnesota signed Shaq Griffin, who had a few good seasons in Seattle. After Griffin, you get Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, and Makhi Blackmon, who have potential but are very unproven.

Vikings CB Byron Murphy wants to stay in Minnesota for the long-term

After spending last season with the Minnesota Vikings, cornerback Byron Murphy reportedly wants to be a Viking for the rest of his career.

After spending four years in the deserts of Arizona, cornerback Byron Murphy signed with the Minnesota Vikings before the start of last season and moved to the Midwest. The move was good for Murphy’s career, as he thrived in Brian Flores’ led defensive scheme. And it seems the move has been good for Murphy on the personal end of things, as well.

Murphy, in speaking to reporter Darren Wolfson, expressed his love for the team and the area and mentioned his goal is to be with the team for the remainder of his career. Murphy stated:

I gotta say since I’ve been here since day one, I fell in love so I don’t want to go nowhere. I want to stay here for the rest of my career. So I’m gonna try to work my ass off to stay here for sure.

Murphy comes into 2024 on the second year of a five-year deal he signed with the team prior to the 2023 season, making just shy of $11 million this year, with the remaining. However, due to the deal’s structure at signing, it was effectively a two-year deal, with the remaining three years being “void” years tacked on to spread out the cap hit to make it a more team-friendly deal.

Murphy was an effective defensive back for the Vikings last season, notching three interceptions while forcing one fumble and adding three tackles for loss over 14 starts. Whether or not Murphy will get a new deal to stay a Viking remains to be seen, but from the sounds of it, this is where Murphy wants to be for the long haul.