The Vikings had to make some significant cuts to improve the placement of their hats. Another blockbuster movie starring Harrison Smith may also be coming.
Teams around the NFL are scrambling to get their own space in order before the free agency craze arrives. As one of the negative teams in this offseason, the Vikings have had to be especially aggressive with their cuts.
That means wide receiver Adam Thielen and linebacker Cam Dantzler were released on Friday along with linebacker Eric Kendricks earlier in the week. That could mean the release of another key defensive figure in the coming days, not just Zadarius Smith, who reportedly wants out.
According to SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson, longtime Vikings safety Harrison Smith could be on the chopping block.
“The situation is fluid but this one leads me to believe … signs point to Harrison Smith being fired by the Vikings,” Wolfson said Friday afternoon.
The Vikings can cut Harrison Smith for an assist in cover space
That certainly doesn’t mean Smith will be cut, Wolfson said. The team could still try to restructure their current deal to be more team friendly. However, if the two sides do not agree on this, a reduction is certainly possible.
Smith has been a stalwart for the Vikings since he was ranked 29th overall in 2012 from Notre Dame. He has started 158 games over his last 11 seasons at Minnesota, and has reached six Pro Bowls. He was a first team All-Pro in the AP in 2017.
In 2022, Smith had 85 total tackles, five interceptions, and a forced fumble in 14 games of action.
Despite his years of service, the 34-year-old is in the twilight of his career and carries a cap of just over $19 million. Cutting him off would give the Vikings more than $7 million in savings.
It will be a sad day for Vikings fans to see Smith leave Minnesota, but the move may prove inevitable.
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