4 Vikings players who are living on borrowed time
By Dean Jones
Anthony Harris – S
Anthony Harris appears to have already checked out with the Vikings if his Christmas Day performance against the Saints was any indication.
The safety is not playing to the sort of standard we saw in 2019 – but there is absolutely no way the organization can afford to sign him to a multi-year extension this offseason regardless of how he’s performing.
Minnesota has shown a preference for rewarding current roster members who play well. But that won’t be the case with Harris thanks to their current financial predicament.
Harris is currently playing on the franchise tag after a dramatic U-turn from the Vikings at the 11th hour prior to free agency. This kept the wolves from the door for one more season but it appears unlikely they can prevent the former Virginia standout from getting the lucrative deal he deserves elsewhere.
This will be a significant blow to a secondary that has been heavily reliant on Harris and Harrison Smith on the backend over the last two years. Breaking up the Pro Bowl duo is going to have huge ramifications and it might come with a high-end NFL Draft pick to rectify this problem.
It bears more significance when one considers Smith is heading into the twilight of his career and he has just one year remaining on his deal in 2021. Harris will be missed, but this is the predicament that Minnesota finds itself in thanks to a situation beyond their control.