In March, the Vikings released franchise stalwart Harrison Smith with a post-June 1 designation, as his contract was due to void and a decision needed to be made. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported the release and noted it was not an indication that Smith plans to retire (although the 37-year-old safety did contemplate hanging up his cleats in 2025 before re-upping with Minnesota).
Now that the March free agent frenzy and the April draft are in the books, Seifert echoes his prior report and says the Vikings have let Smith know they would be happy to have him back. Per Seifert, “all signs were pointing” to retirement following the 2025 campaign, but as Smith himself has made no public remarks in that regard, it seems as if another season could be in store.
While the Vikings return Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, and Jay Ward and added Jakobe Thomas in the third round of last month’s draft, they have made no other notable additions at the safety position. Minnesota still believes it will have a better defense with Smith, whose 85% snap share trailed only Metellus’ 97% mark among the club’s safety contingent last season.
It has been a few years since Pro Football Focus considered Smith a top-tier defender, but his 68.9 overall grade in 2025 is still strong and is squarely in line with the site’s evaluation of his work from the prior three seasons. That mark placed him 33rd among 91 qualified safeties last year.
Pro Football Reference did charge him with a 115.1 quarterback rating allowed in 2025, which was far and away a career-worst figure. However, he did record two interceptions among 10 passes defensed and added 54 stops, including one sack and three tackles for loss.
Smith joined the Vikings in the first round of the 2012 draft and has never played for a different team, collecting six Pro Bowl nods and one first-team All-Pro selection during his 14-year career. His 207 games played is currently fifth in franchise history, and he could move into third place, leaping Carl Eller (209) and Fred Cox (210), if he inks another deal.
The Vikings saved $1.3MM with the March release and are spreading out $3MM in dead money over the next two years. That number is separate from the cost of any new contract for Smith.
I don’t know if Smith is a Hall of Famer but he probably should be.
His lack of multiple All Pro nods doesn’t change the fact that he’s a guy every team would’ve loved to have at safety over the span of a decade. He’s easily the best safety of his generation imo.
Well, him and Earl Thomas that is.
But Smith did it for longer, even after switching from FS to SS.