Vikings Re-Sign S Harrison Smith

There will be a familiar face once again in the Vikings secondary in 2025. Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith will return with a new contract for a 14th season in the NFL. Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport adds that Smith is back on a one-year, $10.25MM contract that can be worth up to $14MM with incentives.

Smith reportedly was contemplating retirement after concluding his age 35 season. As he did last year, when he and the Vikings agreed instead to a restructured deal that would allow him to play for his 13th season in Minnesota.

Smith has played 192 regular season games, the most by a defensive back amongst all Vikings players. That figure ranks eighth in franchise history, and his 37 career interceptions are the most with respect to active players. During his time in Minnesota, Smith has accumulated six Pro Bowl selections and both a first- and second-team All-Pro honor.

Re-signing Smith is big for continuity in the Vikings’ secondary after the team watched Camryn Bynum walk in free agency. It still leaves a pretty significant hole at the other safety position. Also, despite, Smith’s continuous rebuking of Father Time with strong analytical seasons, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), it’s unlikely he’ll keep that up forever.

Having just turned 36, it’s hard to imagine that Smith is a confident solution for Minnesota moving forward. There are plenty of veteran options still available in free agency to pair with Smith like Quandre Diggs, Justin Simmons, Rayshawn Jenkins, and more, but one would imagine the team would prefer to find a younger option like Marcus Williams, Julian Blackmon, or K’Von Wallace. They also may look to add a top safety prospect from the draft if one catches their eye.

As for Smith, he’ll lace ’em up for another season in Minnesota. He may be joined in the defensive backfield by Josh Metellus or someone completely new, but one thing remains certain: Smith will continue to provide his brand of Vikings football in 2025.