Minnesota Vikings 2017 positional needs evaluation: Safety

Do the Minnesota Vikings have a big need at Safety heading into the 2017 NFL Draft or is the team prepared for the upcoming season? Here is the situation.

Putting together a top-tier defense in today’s NFL can be extremely challenging. Not only do the Minnesota Vikings need to get to the quarterback and dominate the line of scrimmage, but they need to ensure that their last line of defense is solid.

This is where the safeties come into play. Whether they are dropping back in coverage, playing the run, or going after the quarterback, the play of these individuals can mean the difference between giving up a short gain or allowing a touchdown.

Here are the safeties who are currently under contract by the Minnesota Vikings heading into the 2017 NFL season and the final year of their contract according to the team’s official website and Spotrac:

• Harrison Smith – Under contract through 2021
• Andrew Sendejo – Under contract through 2019
• Jayron Kearse – Under contract through 2019
• Antone Exum Jr. – Under contract through 2017
• Anthony Harris – Under contract through 2017

The first thing to notice is that there are only 5 safeties under contract. While normally that might be a bit alarming, in this case, it’s not so bad. Harrison Smith is a lock to be one of the starters during the 2017 NFL season, and the rest will be fighting for the other spot or a place on the 53-man roster.

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Sendejo is likely the favorite for the other starting job, at least for now. He has more experience than the others and has shown to be effective when healthy. However, that doesn’t mean the job will be his.

Kearse, Exum, and Harris are all hungry young players looking to make their mark on the Vikings as well as the NFL. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses, but continues to develop as experience is gained.

This may be the year that one of them unseats Sendejo and becomes the starter, but for now that may not be the most likely of situations.

Next: Vikings free agency tracker

As far as adding a safety in the draft, there are some situations where it makes a lot of sense. If a high-caliber player falls into the laps of the Minnesota Vikings, they will not hesitate to select him. However, upgrading at this position likely isn’t the top priority heading into the 2017 NFL Draft.