Captain Munnerlyn could cash in big with the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings got a bargain when bringing Captain Munnerlyn to the team, but they will likely have to open their wallets wide to keep him there.

When Captain Munnerlyn hit free agency, he should have been a hot commodity. As a nickel corner, he matched up with some of the best in the game and should have gotten a deal reflecting that production. However, the Minnesota Vikings were able to pick him up for peanuts on a 3 year, $11.25 million deal.

Now that he has played through that contract, he is likely in line for a big payday as a free agent. Not only has he continued to prove himself as one of the best in the game at what he does, but the value of his position has become realized over the past few seasons.

Recently, ESPN ran an article discussing the value that Captain Munnerlyn holds as a nickel cornerback and how words from New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick helped to cement their importance during an interview. Munnerlyn was psyched to hear all of this.

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"“To see Coach Belichick say that, I was pumping my fist”, Munnerlyn said. They are finally realizing that it’s a big position. You’re playing nickel 80 percent of the time of the game. If teams gameplan you, they might not do that; they might try to keep a linebacker out there, but this is a passing league.”"

Every single team in the NFL passed the ball more than they ran during the 2015 NFL season, and the most pass heavy teams even came close to a 2:1 ratio when it comes to throwing the football. This trend is likely to continue to the 2017 season, where having capable defensive backs will be a must for any playoff hopeful team.

"“Everybody wants to throw the ball. Everybody wants to see the scoreboard light up so hopefully teams see that. [I’m] definitely hoping the Vikings see that because we play it a lot, I hope they value my position and value my talent and bring me back.”"

Next: Adam Thielen's goals for the 2017 season

The Minnesota Vikings are likely hoping they can bring Captain Munnerlyn back as well. The only question is how much of a monetary value they place on his position and talent compared to the rest of the franchises in the NFL. Odds are that whatever contract he ends up signing this offseason will be significantly higher than the one that brought him to the Vikings.