Eric Kendricks, Cam Dantzler, and Adam Thielen have already been released, Dalvin Cook is reportedly drawing trade interest and Za’Darius Smith put his home up for sale and allegedly wants to be released.
There are major changes happening with the Vikings ahead of the start of free agency next week, and another name to monitor is veteran safety Harrison Smith.
Smith carries a $19.1 million cap hit in 2023. That’s a huge number for a team that is still an estimated $8.6 million over the cap. The question is whether the Vikings will restructure his deal to create immediate cap relief or flat out cut him to create about $7.4 million in cap space.
Enter KSTP TV’s Darren Wolfson, who spoke on SKOR North Friday about an interesting text message he received from one of his trusted sources.
“I got a text as I was driving back from the TRIA rink in St. Paul on Harrison Smith,” said Wolfson, who was covering the Minnesota Wild practice Friday morning. “Fluid situation, but this person leads me to believe that as I sit here real time … that signs point to the Vikings releasing Harrison Smith.
“Now, to me that situation is still fluid. We know he’s not going to be back at his current number, but could another conversation take place? Could they find some sort of happy medium.? This person said, ‘Hey, it’s going to continue to be a bloodbath. Don’t be surprised if that is a move that takes place.'”
According to OverTheCap, the Vikings can restructure Smith’s contract and chop that $19.1 million cap hit down to around $10 million this season. Smith’s deal carries a $19.2 million hit in 2024 and $22 million in 2025 and all three years carry dead cap space if he’s released.
“I’m just telling you, that somebody I trust who’s given me gold for a long, long time – going back about two decades – told me to keep an eye on that,” Wolfson continued. “Because I’ve been led to believe, I said it on Thursday, that I thought there was a pathway to Harrison Smith finishing his career with the organization that he started it with.”
“I’m just laying out like right now in real time these are actual conversations happening at TCO Performance Center. We know that Harrison can’t be back at his current large number, so continue to keep an eye on that situation,” Wolfson concluded.
