5 biggest positions of need for the Vikings in free agency
By Dean Jones
4. Safety
Much will depend on the future of Anthony Harris as to whether safety becomes a position of significant need for the Vikings this offseason.
Harris is expected to gather tremendous interest in the open market after a sensational 2019 campaign. The undrafted prospect out of Virginia rose into a starting spot with Minnesota and he just enjoyed the best season of his career.
He managed to secure six interceptions to go alongside 60 total tackles while he was on the field for 83 percent of the defense’s snaps. This sort of production will be hard for the Vikings to replace if Harris decides that his future lies elsewhere.
Last season, he made a little over $3 million and Spotrac projects Harris to command a lucrative new deal when free agency hits. They have him getting a contract that would pay him in the region of $13.8 million annually.
With Harrison Smith also making double-figures, the likelihood of Minnesota wanting to commit so much money to their other starting safety is unlikely. This means they are going to have to scour the free-agent market for someone of a similar ilk to Harris.
A diamond in the rough with something to prove might be the best solution for the Vikings if a deal with Harris cannot be agreed upon. An ideal situation would see the 28-year-old stick around on a multi-year contract. But with pressure to strengthen the roster elsewhere, Minnesota faces a real fight to hold onto their star safety if they decide not to franchise Harris.