Harrison Smith

NFC North Notes: Watson, Lions, Vikings

April 4th, 2025 at 4:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

An ill-timed ACL tear could prove costly for Christian Watson. Not only is the Packers wide receiver entering a contract year, his injury occurring in January has been expected to keep him off the field into next season. A tentative timetable has emerged, with The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman pointing to a likelihood of at least a half-season absence taking place. Brian Gutekunst offered support for a potential return earlier but did not provide specifics, and the Packers are generally cautious with injury returns. Gutekunst had already confirmed Watson would miss time in 2025, which represents a key window for the injury-prone North Dakota State alum to impress ahead of a potential free agency run. His history of hamstring injuries preceding this ACL tear could well lead to a “prove it” deal taking place come 2026.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

The Lions lost Kevin Zeitler to the Titans, and GM Brad Holmes said (via Detroit Football’s Justin Rogers) a veteran guard addition and/or a rookie move is still in play. Graham Glasgow is set as a starter, while 2024 sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany appears the top internal option — barring a veteran addition or early-round draft choice. Holmes called Mahogany’s 2024 work (75 offensive snaps, one start) encourating.
The Eagles stood down on Isaiah Rodgers, after aiming to re-sign their post-suspension flier, after the Vikings made him a two-year, $11.1MM deal that came with $7.99MM guaranteed. Rodgers will play a regular role defensively, as Kevin O’Connell referred to the 2024 Philly rotational CB as a player ticketed for an every-down role. This would point to Rodgers having a clear runway to earn the starting job opposite re-signed CB Byron Murphy. When Murphy shifts into the slot, Jeff Okudah would be set to come off the bench and man a perimeter post, O’Connell added (via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling).
Minnesota lost Camryn Bynum to Indianapolis but reached an agreement to retain Harrison Smith for a 14th season, after the latter had considered retirement. Smith (192 career games) can move into third place for Vikings defender longevity with nine more games played; he is back on a one-year, $10.25MM deal that (per Goessling) comes with $8MM fully guaranteed. There are $750K in playing-time incentives, per Goessling, who adds Smith can collect additional $500K bonuses by reaching the four-INT and three-sack benchmarks. A $1MM bump would come if Smith lands a first-team All-Pro nod; that number drops to $500K for a second-team accolade. Smith, 36, last earned All-Pro honors in 2018. The Vikings are again using void years, meaning a Smith departure in 2026 would bring a $12MM dead money hit.
Jonathan Allen‘s three-year, $51MM Minnesota deal includes snap- and sack-based incentives. The longtime Washington DT can earn $3MM if he plays 70% of Minnesota’s defensive snaps; that tiered structure begins with a $500K payout by reaching 50% usage. Allen played between 68-82% of Washington’s snaps from 2018-23 but came in at 59% during an injury-altered 2024. The soon-to-be 30-year-old lineman can earn $500K with five sacks, another $1MM with seven and another $1.5MM with 10, Goessling tweets.
While Allen, Will Fries (tibia fracture) and Javon Hargrave (triceps tear) are expected to be ready for Vikes camp, O’Connell stopped short of guaranteeing Rondale Moore will be. Moore suffered an unspecified knee injury during Falcons camp last year, and O’Connell said he wants to see how the $2MM investment looks in his first weeks with the team before making a determination on camp.
Jordan Addison‘s DUI case continues. The Vikings wideout took part in a pretrial hearing last month, and ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert indicates a pretrial conference is set for April 10. This matter, stemming from an August 2024 arrest, puts the former first-round pick in play to serve a 2025 suspension.
Lastly, the Vikes are hiring former QB Charlie Frye as a defensive assistant. This interesting role, for a 23-start QB, comes after a two-year run as Florida Atlantic’s OC. Frye, 43, was also the Dolphins’ QBs coach in 2021 under current Vikings DC Brian Flores. That represents the ex-Browns starter’s only previous NFL coaching work.

Vikings Re-Sign S Harrison Smith

March 12th, 2025 at 7:54pm CST by Ely Allen

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, though. 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 usual brand of Vikings football in 2025.

Vikings’ Harrison Smith, Stephon Gilmore To Contemplate Retirement

February 14th, 2025 at 11:07am CST by Adam La Rose

Free agency could lead to a few notable departures in the Vikings’ secondary. Retirement is another means by which the team could be shorthanded heading into 2025, though.

Safety Harrison Smith said (via Andrew Kramer of the Minnesota Star Tribune) he will give thought to hanging up his cleats this offseason. That was the case last year, but he and the team agreed to a restructured pact which paved the way for him to play a 13th campaign in Minnesota. Smith remained a full-time starter in 2024, and after being held without an interception the previous year he recorded three this past season.

As a result, his absence would be acutely felt in the event a retirement decision were to be made. Smith, 36, said he was not leaning that way in the wake of the Vikings’ wild-card loss, and if he were to play in 2025 he would carry a modest cap hit of $6.57MM. The six-time Pro Bowler would be expected to remain in a first-team role if he were to continue his career, one which has seen him cement his status as one of the top defenders in franchise history.

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. The Notre Dame product’s leadership in addition to his production would be difficult to replace, although working out a new deal with pending free agent Camryn Bynum could allow for continuity on the backend. Josh Metellus has logged a heavy defensive workload over the past two years and he could step into a full-time starting role in the event Smith were to end his career.

Just like Smith, cornerback Stephon Gilmore will give thought to retirement. The former Defensive Player of the Year has bounced around the league since the end of his Patriots tenure, spending time with the Panthers, Colts and Cowboys before inking a one-year Vikings pact in August. That deal provided the team with a full-time starter opposite Byron Murphy, and Gilmore helped Minnesota finish the year with the NFL’s fifth-ranked scoring defense.

“It’s more this year,” the 34-year-old said (via Kramer) of considering retirement. “Older, body feeling it a little bit more. Just wasn’t thinking about it during the season, but now looking back at how I feel, I’ll definitely be thinking about it.”

Murphy is in line to command a notable free agent market, while Shaquill Griffin is also in need of a new deal. Losing either of those two in addition to Gilmore hanging up his cleats would leave cornerback as even more of an offseason priority. Much of Minnesota’s outlook over the spring will of course depend on what happens with quarterback Sam Darnold, but the decisions Smith and Gilmore make in the near future will also be key team storylines to follow.

NFC Restructures: 49ers, Smith, Eskridge

March 24th, 2024 at 7:55pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers recently restructured the contracts of two offensive mainstays that cleared up a heap of cap space. According to ESPN’s Field Yates and Adam Schefter, both tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk agreed to restructured contracts to help lessen their impact on the salary cap.

Charean Williams of NBC Sports provided us with some details on Kittle’s newly redone deal. The veteran tight end was set to have a base salary of $13.4MM with a cap hit of $21.96MM in 2024. Instead, the team converted $12.19MM of his base salary for 2024 into a signing bonus while adding one voidable year to the existing two already at the tail end of his contract. The move cleared up $9.75MM of space in the team’s salary cap.

While Schefter’s initial report claimed that the restructure for Juszczyk would free up approximately $1.75MM of cap space, a later report from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network laid out some details that would clear almost $4MM of cap space. The restructured deal will reportedly reduce his base salary in both 2024 and 2025, forming what is essentially now a two-year, $9.1MM contract. In exchange for the reduced pay, San Francisco gave Juszczyk $4MM of new guarantees.

Here are some details on other recent restructures from around the conference:

We reported a restructured deal for Vikings safety Harrison Smith about a week and a half ago, and thanks to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, we have some details on the new contract. The restructure addressed the final two years of Smith’s contract, essentially giving him a two-year, $10.25MM deal with three void years at the end of the contract. Smith received $7MM of guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus and will receive a per game active bonus of $30K for a potential season-total of $510K. The new contract reduces Smith’s cap number in 2024 by $11.9MM and reduces his 2025 cap impact by $15.5MM.
The Seahawks cleared up some cap space by restructuring the contract of wide receiver D’Wayne Eskridge, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. It’s just a slight tweak for a player who was only slotted to make $1.47MM in the final year of his rookie deal. The restructure will open up about $500K of cap space for Seattle.

Vikings, S Harrison Smith Agree To Restructure

March 13th, 2024 at 5:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of veteran safeties have seen their tenures with their respective teams come to an end this offseason, but Harrison Smith will not be one of them. The Vikings All-Pro will remain with Minnesota for 2024 on a restructured contract, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports.

Smith has spent his entire 12-year career with the Vikings, and his continued presence will be welcomed given his high-end play over the course of his decorated tenure. A report from last month indicated he would likely be required to take a pay cut to remain with the team, though, so today’s news comes as little surprise. Smith’s agency has announced (via Pelissero) the new agreement is worth $9MM, and it will lower his 2024 cap figure.

The 35-year-old had two years remaining on his deal entering Wednesday. His scheduled cap hits over that span were set to reach $19.22MM and $22.02MM, so Minnesota was unsurprisingly looking to lower those figures. Smith accepted a pay cut last year, and he has remained willing to re-negotiate his existing deal to continue his career.

The six-time Pro Bowler has been one of the league’s top ballhawks at the safety spot, racking up 34 interceptions. Smith was held without one in 2023, however, marking just the second time in his career in which that was the case. He recorded 93 tackles, three sacks and a trio of forced fumbles during the campaign, showcasing a continued ability to produce in other areas.

In an offseason in which both edge rusher Danielle Hunter and linebacker Jordan Hicks have agreed to deals with outside teams, Smith’s continued presence will also be helpful from a leadership standpoint. The latter will be counted on as one of the veterans of Brian Flores‘ unit for at least one more campaign as he looks to add further to his legacy.

Vikings S Harrison Smith Likely Facing Pay Cut In 2024

February 17th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Harrison Smith has played his entire 12-year career with the Vikings, and he remains under contract with the team. If he elects to continue his career, though, he will likely need to do so at a reduced rate.

Smith was in a similar situation last offseason. He ultimately agreed to a restructure which resulted in a pay cut while guaranteeing much of his base salary. Two more years remain on the 35-year-old’s contract, and he is set to carry cap hits of $19.22MM and $22.02MM, respectively, if no further alterations are made.

As Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes, Smith declined to offer a firm stance with respect to his playing future once the Vikings’ season came to an end. The six-time Pro Bowler racked up 93 tackles, three sacks and a trio of forced fumbles in 2023. He did not allow a touchdown in coverage, and he is one year removed from a five-interception campaign. While he would remain a productive player if he elected to play in 2024, Goessling writes that Smith would likely be required to agree to another pay cut to remain in Minnesota.

The former All-Pro is due $15.3MM next year, but the Vikings would see considerable cap savings via a trade or release (particularly if they were to designate Smith a post-June 1 cut). A restructure, by contrast, would allow Minnesota to retain him while creating $6.67MM in cap space. Given the major financial decisions the team has to make in the near future, any added flexibility would be welcomed.

The Vikings need to work out a new deal with Kirk Cousins or find a replacement starting quarterback. The team is also set to resume negotiations on a mega-extension with wideout Justin Jefferson. The latter does not appear poised to offer a hometown discount, although he is already on the books for 2024 via his fifth-year option. Clarity on the Cousins and Jefferson fronts will inform moves with other key veterans, such as pending free agent edge rusher Danielle Hunter.

Goessling notes that both head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores want to have Smith back for next season. His desire to continue playing remains the key question in this situation; if he elects against hanging up his cleats, however, it will be interesting to see if he is willing to take a pay cut for the second year in a row.

Vikings S Harrison Smith Accepts Pay Cut

March 24th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 24: Although Smith accepted a pay cut to stay, Goessling notes he received $6.25MM of his 2023 base salary guaranteed. That is up $1.25MM from his previous arrangement (Twitter link). Overall, Smith’s 2023 base checks in at $7.5MM; $500K in incentives are available as well.

MARCH 16: Harrison Smith will be back for a 12th season with the Vikings. The sides agreed to a reworked contract Thursday, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports (on Twitter).

The Pro Bowl safety was set to count $19.1MM against Minnesota’s cap in 2023. Smith signed a four-year, $64MM extension before the 2021 season; that deal runs through 2025. Thursday’s new agreement looks to be a pay cut. Smith was set to earn $14.7MM in base salary, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes he will now make $8MM and have the opportunity to collect an additional $2MM via incentives (Twitter link). The restructure will save the Vikings $6.7MM, Goessling tweets.

Rather than testing the market in his mid-30s, Smith agreed to a salary trim will keep him in Minneapolis for his age-34 season. Strong interest did come from elsewhere, per Rapoport, but Smith prefers to stay in Minnesota (Twitter link). A 2012 first-round pick, Smith has only played for the Vikings.

Drafted during Leslie Frazier‘s HC stay, Smith is among the last of the team’s Mike Zimmer-era defensive cornerstones. The Vikings have moved on from almost everyone else from their late-2010s defensive units, including a recent release of Eric Kendricks. Only Smith and Danielle Hunter remain in place from those defenses that helped the Vikes to three playoff berths — with three different starting QBs — from 2015-19.

The Vikings are transitioning to Brian Flores‘ defensive scheme, moving on after Ed Donatell struggled in his lone season in the position, and they want Smith a part of it. It can be assumed Smith will be on a year-to-year relationship with the Vikings going forward, given his extension’s terms for 2024 and ’25. He is set to make $14.5MM in 2024 and $17MM in 2025. It is unlikely the six-time Pro Bowler will be attached to either base salary, but after letting Patrick Peterson defect to the Steelers, the Vikings are hanging onto their other veteran piece in the secondary.

Helping a struggling Vikes defense hang on for the NFC’s No. 3 seed, Smith intercepted five passes last season to move his career total to 34. Pro Football Focus slotted Smith just inside the top 40 at safety last season. Given the way the market has developed for non-Jessie Bates safeties this offseason, the Vikings asking Smith for a pay reduction makes sense.

Barring injury, Smith will still move into rare territory among Vikings defenders this season. Smith (158 career starts) will have a chance to pass Kevin Williams (170) for the third-most starts by a Minnesota defender. Catching Purple People Eaters Jim Marshall (270) or Carl Eller (201) appears unrealistic (definitely in Marshall’s case), but Smith has a chance to be the longest-tenured Vikings defensive piece in nearly 45 years.

Vikings Expect TE Irv Smith Jr. To Return During Regular Season

December 11th, 2022 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Parks

The Vikings expect to have TE Irv Smith Jr. back on the field before the end of the regular season, as head coach Kevin O’Connell recently told reporters, including Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Smith suffered an ankle injury in Minnesota’s Week 8 victory over the Cardinals and was placed on injured reserve shortly thereafter.

The injury to Smith prompted the Vikes to swing an intra-divisional trade for former Lions TE T.J. Hockenson. Since the trade, Hockenson is averaging six catches and 45 yards per game as part of an offense that also includes wideouts Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. Smith, who missed all of the 2021 season due to a meniscus tear, would represent an intriguing, high-upside complement to that group of pass-catchers. The team ranks in the top-10 in both passing yards per game and points per game, and adding Smith back into the mix could make its aerial attack even more formidable.

A 2019 second-round draft choice, Smith will be eligible for free agency at season’s end. Obviously, this year’s ankle injury coupled with his 2021 absence have not allowed him to generate much momentum towards a lucrative, multi-year pact, so he will likely be looking at one-year offers this offseason. Minnesota could be interested in a reunion, as Hockenson’s fifth-year option salary and cap charge of $9.4MM is manageable — his cap number could be further reduced with an extension — and there are no other particularly appealing tight ends on the roster.

In related news, the Vikings are without left tackle Christian Darrisaw for the third consecutive game on Sunday. However, Darrisaw has reportedly cleared the concussion protocol and should therefore have a good chance to suit up for the team’s Week 15 matchup with the Colts (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). Safety Harrison Smith, meanwhile, will miss Sunday’s game against the Lions as well due to a neck injury.

The 10-2 Vikings have a five-game advantage in the NFC North and are just one game back of the 11-1 Eagles for the top seed in the NFC (though Philadelphia enjoys the tiebreaker by virtue of its Week 2 victory over Minnesota). Their divisional cushion is allowing them to be cautious with some of their top players.

NFC Injury Updates: Bucs, Packers, Smith

September 23rd, 2022 at 8:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Tampa Bay knew it would be without two of its bigger playmakers in wide receiver Chris Godwin and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks this week. That is no surprise, as Godwin missed last week with a hamstring ailment and Hicks is predicted to miss a month with a foot injury. The Buccaneers were hoping to get back offensive tackle Donovan Smith this week, but he is doubtful to appear this Sunday against the Packers, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.

Smith suffered a hyperextended right elbow in Tampa Bay’s Week 1 victory over the Cowboys. Last week, the Buccaneers slotted Josh Wells in to start for Smith, but, after Wells suffered a calf injury that landed him on injured reserve in the team’s matchup with the Saints, they’ll likely turn to Brandon Walton who replaced Wells last Sunday.

It was also reported, by Buccaneers staff writer Brianna Dix, that wide receiver Julio Jones is expected to be a game-time decision, according to head coach Todd Bowles.

Here are a few other Sunday game statuses we heard about today, starting with two top receivers in Green Bay:

The Packers‘ top returning receiver from last year had to miss Week 1 while dealing with an ankle injury. While they got Allen Lazard back last week, he was seen limping at points of the game. Regardless, Lazard “is optimistic about playing” this week versus Tampa Bay, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Packers have been cautious with him in practice this week, but it’s likely been precautionary. On the other hand, quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be without one of his top targets as Sammy Watkins has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Rookie wide receiver Christian Watson is also dealing with hamstring issues but is listed as questionable going into the weekend.
Vikings safety Harrison Smith is expected to miss his first game due to injury since 2016, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Smith did sit out two games last year on the COVID-19/reserve list and took a rest day in the 2019 season finale, but a concussion suffered in Monday night’s loss to the Eagles will likely hold him out against the Lions this week.
Tyler Kroft has been the man for the 49ers at tight end, starting twice to begin the season in place of the injured star, George Kittle. He has never been a strong receiving threat, but his ability to run block has made him a valuable asset to the San Francisco offense. In the team’s Week 2 win over the Seahawks, though, Kroft suffered a sprained MCL. He’s expected “to miss several weeks” because of the knee injury, but, due to new injured reserve rules, the veteran will not be placed on IR, according to David Lombardi of The Athletic. The new rules this year dictate that only eight players can be designated to return from IR, so, even though Kroft will be eligible to return after several weeks, the 49ers are choosing to save their designated to return IR spots for more valuable players who may end up sustaining injuries later on in the season. The timing of Kroft’s injury is not the worst it could possibly be as Kittle is set to return this week from injury. Kittle is mostly known for his receiving ability but is a decent run blocker in his own right and will help to vacate any deficit resulting from Kroft’s absence.
The Lions will be down one of their rotational defensive linemen when they play the Vikings and, according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, a recent surgery will hold him out for a while. Defensive lineman John Cominsky is dealing with a wrist injury that required the surgery. Cominsky may not be a household name, but, when he was put on waivers after three years of playing with the Falcons, Cominsky drew the interest of one-fourth of the league, as eight teams were intrigued enough to put in claims on the former Golden Eagle out of Division II Charleston in West Virginia. The Lions were second in the waiver order and were granted the 6-foot-5 lineman, but the Commanders, Colts, Browns, Texans, Cardinals, Vikings, and Bengals all attempted to bring him in. With Cominsky out, Lions head coach Dan Campbell suggested that the starting four defensive linemen will be backed up by the likes of Austin Bryant and undrafted rookie Demetrius Taylor.

Restructured Deals: Packers, Broncos, Bills, Patriots, Giants

March 21st, 2022 at 10:29pm CST by Ben Levine

As free agency continues, teams will keep finding ways to open up additional cap. We’ve had a handful of reworked contracts in recent days, which we’ve compiled below:

The Packers opened $10.15MM in cap space by restructuring the contracts of wideout Randall Cobb (which was previously reported) and safety Adrian Amos, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). ESPN’s Rob Demovsky tweets that Green Bay turned $5.88MM of Amos’ $7MM base salary into a signing bonus and added four void years.
The Broncos opened up some space via a pair of restructured deals. Wideout Tim Patrick converted $6.9MM of his roster bonus into a signing bonus, creating around $4.6MM in cap space, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (on Twitter). The Broncos also converted receiver Courtland Sutton‘s $10.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus, saving $7.875MM in 2022 cap space, per Klis (on Twitter).
The Panthers converted $11.765MM of wideout Robby Anderson’s 2022 pay into a signing bonus, creating $5.88MM in cap space, per Yates (on Twitter). Staying in the NFC, Yates also tweets that the Eagles converted $14.88MM of cornerback Darius Slay’s salary into a signing bonus, creating $11.90MM in 2022 cap space.
The Giants converted $2.63MM of kicker Graham Gano’s salary into a bonus, creating $1.753MM in cap space, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The team also added a void year to the contract, something GM Joe Schoen was trying to avoid (per Raanan).
After getting traded to the Bills, quarterback Case Keenum agreed to rework his contract. Per Yates (on Twitter), Keenum reduced his base salary to $3.5MM. Another AFC East team, the Patriots, also got into the game, reducing defensive end Henry Anderson‘s base salary from $2.5MM to $1.25MM (per Yates).
Yates passes along three more restructures (on Twitter): the Vikings opened $6MM in cap space by reworking safety Harrison Smith‘s contract, the Bills opened $5.172MM via linebacker Matt Milano‘s contract, and the Titans opened $6.45MM via linebacker Zach Cunningham‘s contract.

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