What comes next for Anthony Harris and the Vikings?
By Dean Jones
Veteran safety Anthony Harris received a shocking franchise tag from the Minnesota Vikings. But what does that mean for him going forward?
The Minnesota Vikings made a real statement by placing the franchise tag on Anthony Harris. How they handle Harris on their roster in the coming weeks will be equally as important.
The stud safety enjoyed a phenomenal 2019 campaign that looked set to earn him a nice payday in free agency this year. Given Minnesota’s salary cap restrictions, it initially appeared unlikely they would be in a position to prevent Harris from moving on to somewhere new.
But everything changed when the Vikings released the experienced duo of Linval Joseph and Xavier Rhodes. Quarterback Kirk Cousins extending his stay in Minnesota was another critical move by the organization that freed up just enough money to be able to put a shocking franchise tag on the veteran safety.
Harris will earn around $11.4 million next season, a stark leap from the $3.095 million in base salary he made in 2019. The former undrafted prospect has worked his way up the depth chart and become one of the best safeties in the NFL. Few would argue Harris isn’t deserving of such a raise after an exceptional campaign.
Even though his short-term future is now secure following the move, there are still plenty of questions to answer regarding Harris. The franchise tag is seen as a last resort from a player perspective and few enjoy playing on it with no security going forward.
It does give the Vikings some time to plan their next move regarding the safety. But what comes next for Harris and the franchise?