4 Vikings players that must step up after their 2022 bye week

Camryn Bynum – S

The devastating injury suffered by first-round pick Lewis Cine in London against the New Orleans Saints was a body blow. The Minnesota Vikings were expecting big things from the former Georgia standout later in the campaign alongside Harrison Smith, who is still playing at a very high level despite his advancing years.

There is no time for the Vikings to cry over spilled milk. They must now do everything in their power to make Camryn Bynum more productive after an inconsistent start to the campaign, especially from a coverage standpoint.

Bynum is giving up 80 percent of targets thrown in his direction and is conceding a perfect passer rating of 158.3 when targeted. This is something that won’t go unnoticed by opposing offenses, who’ll likely target the California product heavily moving forward until he figures things out.

Playing with one of the league’s most accomplished safeties will assist in crucial moments. Bynum’s athleticism is also something that indicates developments can be made in a relatively short space of time during the bye week.

With only Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson listed on the depth chart behind Bynum, there doesn’t appear to be much competition keeping him out of the lineup in Cine’s absence. But if things don’t progress effectively, Minnesota might make another move via free agency or trade before the deadline.