He’s Back!

The Minnesota Vikings have done some good things through the initial days of free agency. Solid additions. Solid re-signings. None of those made me as happy as hearing that Harrison Smith is returning for his 14th season. I accept that he’s much closer to the end of his fabulous career than he is to the start. I’m just not ready for the days when #22 isn’t on the field for the Vikings. Welcome back, Harrison Smith!

When it became clear that Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores would return for his third season, I figured that there was a good chance that Harrison Smith would return as well. Player and coach work well together. More importantly, they really enjoy working together. Still, Smith is a man of many interests. I hoped that he wasn’t but there was always a chance he was ready to spend more time with those interests. Technically, Smith was already under contract for the 2025 season. The contract had a league minimum base salary of $1.255 million but he would’ve had a $25 million base salary for 2026 become fully guaranteed if he were on the Vikings’ roster by this weekend. Those terms were essentially a placeholder for a new deal. Smith and the team decided to do that new deal. That deal is reportedly for $11 million. It’s a $10.25 million base with $750,000 in roster bonuses. There’s potential for another $3 million in incentives. 

Harrison Smith’s 14th season could be an historic cap to an already historic career. He’s played 192 regular season games for the Vikings. He needs 10 to surpass Scott Studwell on the team’s career list. If he plays in all 17 games in 2025, Smith will tie Carl Eller for the fourth-most in Vikings history. Harrison Smith has been brilliant each of his 13 seasons. If one wants to measure his career with statistics, he mingles with some of the very best in the history of the league. If Smith can equal in 2025 the three interceptions that he had last year, he’ll join the “40 interceptions, 20 sacks club.” Only Larry Wilson, Charles Woodson, and Ronde Barber are members of that exclusive club. Wilson, Woodson, and Barber are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Smith is already a member in the “30 interceptions, 20 sacks club.” That’s a club that only includes the following:

Larry Wilson

Charles Woodson

Ronde Barber

Brian Dawkins

LeRoy Butler

Rodney Harrison

Of those, only Rodney Harrison is the only member without a Gold Jacket and his argument for inclusion is heard annually. Harrison Smith is building a strong Hall of Fame argument of his own. I know that I’m a bit biased but I’ve never seen another safety that routinely does well all of things that Smith does. From front to back, side to side, he routinely makes an impact all over the field. Contemplating his great career is a time for another day. His retirement has been pushed to another day. Today, he’s back for another season. That’s a beautiful thing. Now, it’s time to secure that elusive Super Bowl ring.