What comes next for Anthony Harris and the Vikings?
By Dean Jones
A new multi-year contract
Anthony Harris will not want to play without the added security of a long-term deal. It will up to the Vikings to provide the safety with a suitable offer.
This is something that will not happen overnight given Minnesota’s salary cap restrictions going forward. They still need to sign all their draft picks and they also have some more pieces to bring in via free agency.
There is also the possibility of re-signing players who have not yet been tied up or joined another franchise. This includes cornerback Mackensie Alexander after former first-round pick Trae Waynes departed for the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday.
Standout running back Dalvin Cook is heading into the final year of his rookie deal and is on the lookout for a bigger payday following the best statistical season of his career to date. The decision-makers in Minnesota are going to be busy during the next few weeks and possibly beyond to come up with a strategic plan to make their influential roster members happy.
Spotrac had previously projected Harris’ market value to command $13.8 million annually if he were to land a multi-year deal this offseason. This is something the Vikings are currently not able to do and placing the franchise tag on the player buys them some time to come up with another bold plan to ensure the talented safety gets the money he deserves.
The undrafted prospect out of Virginia has worked hard to come from obscurity to one of the best players operating at his position and he just wants to be rewarded accordingly.