Vikings Rumors: Minnesota ‘very open’ to trading Harrison Smith

The Minnesota Vikings safety could be traded very soon.

Since he was drafted by the team in 2012, Harrison Smith has been a staple of the Minnesota Vikings defense. Smith was one of the key players who helped transform the Vikings defense into a consistently elite unit during the first few years of Mike Zimmer’s tenure as the team’s head coach.

So far this season, however, Minnesota and their safety have just one win after their first six games. With a 1-5 record, the Vikings have a better chance at getting a top-five pick in next year’s NFL Draft than they do at earning a spot in this season’s playoffs.

In an effort to start planning for 2021, Minnesota could be looking to unload some expensive veterans before this year’s trade deadline. With Smith having a favorable contract and still performing well at the age of 31, he’s someone that other teams could look to acquire from the Vikings before the deadline in a few days.

Vikings Rumors: Could Harrison Smith’s career in Minnesota be over?

With this season’s trade deadline inching closer and closer (November 3), a number of Minnesota players have mentioned as possible candidates to be dealt.

According to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora on Sunday, the Vikings are “very open,” to trading Smith, Kyle Rudolph, and Riley Reiff before this year’s deadline. Adam Thielen was also mentioned in the report, but La Canfora added that it’s “not likely,” Minnesota trades their star receiver before November 3.

Most Vikings fans probably assumed that Smith would remain in purple and gold for his entire career. But after their terrible start to the season, Minnesota has to already be thinking about their future, and unloading some of their most expensive veterans is something that most should expect to happen either before this year’s trade deadline or during the upcoming offseason.

The fact that Smith, Rudolph, and Reiff are already on the trade block seems like they are players that the Vikings have already been thinking about moving on from them once the current season is over.

So whether Minnesota decides to deal their veteran safety to another team before this year’s deadline or not, this could still be the last season he suits up for the purple and gold.