Vikings S Camryn Bynum has taken a HUGE step up in 2023: Film Breakdown

Disclaimer: The following is a transcript of a YouTube video titled “Vikings S Camryn Bynum has Taken a HUGE Step Up in 2023: Film Breakdown” The content is for informational purposes only and was originally presented in video format.

Vikings safety Cameron Bynum is one of the most improved players in the NFL. Last year in his second season, he gave up six touchdowns, and it didn't seem like he was in their long term plans. But in 2023, he's remained their starter. He hasn't allowed a single touchdown, and he has five pass breakups and two interceptions. Looking at his stats for the season, he's PFF's 5th highest graded safety. He ranks 11th in forced incompletion rate. He has given up a good amount of yards, but really none of that's come from coverage busts. 

The Vikings are blitzing at a historic rate, 59.7% on the year, and a lot of the plays that he's quote unquote given up, he'll be in off coverage, and the two results of the play are either that the pass rush gets home, or the offense gets an easy completion. So you see he ranks kind of low in the yards per cover snap, but he's only allowed two receptions of over 20 yards.He's really quick and instinctive, breaking on passes over the middle of the field. 

This play from Week 10, they are going to Blitz Ivan Pace. So there is a wide open gap over the middle to hit at parry, He's explosive, breaking out of his backpedal. He leads with his hand, punches the ball out, gets a pass breakup. He's also had a handful of really nice pass breakups that could have easily been interceptions. Right here the Atlanta Falcons are running their standard play action shot play, they've got max protection, two man routes concept with a deep over and a deep post from the other side. 

The cornerback Akayleb Evans takes the deepest route, and the over route gets behind the linebackers in coverage; but Camryn Bynum is there to break it up. The ball bounces off of his fingertips. If he would've been here a half second later, this probably would've been an interception. On this play against the Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota is in cover zero. So they're blitzing everyone, single coverage on the backend. They try to hit Keenan Allen on a quick slant with all this open space, but Bynum breaks on the pass immediately, does a good job restricting the catching window.

On this play, the Eagles are in 3rd and 16, so there aren't really any good passing concepts to convert this. Because the linebackers don't have any threat of underneath routes, but the eagles are running dagger, which is a clear out seam and then a dig route coming behind it. The seam clears out the deep safety. Ideally, this underneath route from the tight end is going to influence the hook defender. But again, it's third and long, so he has no reason to bite on that underneath route. And then Bynum who's playing the deep middle third is responsible for breaking on this dig route. 

Theo Jackson gets the interception here. Jalen Hurts tries to force this into a window that doesn't really exist, but still a good play by Camryn Bynum to be in the right position. This is another play that could've been an incredible interception, but he isn't able to come down with it. The Vikings are showing single high, but they're disguising their coverage, rotating into cover two. The Green Bay Packers are running a go with a quick out. This out route from the tight end is going to hold the flat defender and then ideally you've got space to hit this hole shot to Dontayvian Wicks. 

But Bynum reads Jordan Love's eyes, he has the range to work over to the sideline and get in front of the passing window. Great play to force third and long, but this could have been one of the best interceptions of the year if he brought it in. And then this is a really impressive play from Week 5; he's in match coverage on Travis Kelce who's running an out and up. Really fluid hips to get himself turned around. He doesn't bite to hard on this first brake to the side line. He stays over the top of the route. 

That way he isn't in a trail position where he has to turn his head around and risk getting called for the penalty. Once Kelce raises up for the catch he rakes his hands, breaks up the pass. I even think some of the completions he's given up have actually been really impressive plays on Camryn Bynum's part. Right here it's a zero blitz, the Kansas City Chiefs have this three man route concept from the right side. Initially he sticks with the number 3, but once he starts to bend this shallow, he knows that Akayleb Evans is going to be on the other side to pick it up, so he starts to get depth. He's able to anticipate the route developing behind him. 

He just kind of leaves his feet too early. Patrick Mahomes makes a great pass while he's getting hit, and Watson does a great job bringing it in. And then you got this play against Kyle Pitts on third down, he's just a half second late breaking on the ball. But he's able to contest it Kyle Pitts just makes a great contested catch. So every catch in every yard that's allowed for a DB is not created equally. Watching all of Cameron Bynum's tape. There haven't really been any coverage busts. It's more just examples of quarterbacks and receivers making great plays.

But post concussion Brock Purdy was able to bail him out with a few gifted interceptions. Right here the San Francisco 49ers are running two dig routes. Brock Purdy is under pressure, he throws this way too far inside, and Bynum gets the interception. And then this play, late in the game, it's another dagger concept, Bynum just stays home in the middle of the field. Purdy doesn't see him, tries to hit the dig route, and Bynum wins at the catch point. He's also been a really solid run defender. 

He plays most of his snaps at free safety, so he isn't in position to get a lot of tackles for loss or anything. But when he comes down into the box, he can shed blocks and limit big plays. So Cameron Bynum is a great example of how development isn't linear. Sometimes it just takes certain players longer to catch on. And he's really thriving in Brian Flores defense now that they've gotten away from the match quarters defense they were in last year.