Anthony Harris – S
Anthony Harris was given the franchise tag by the Vikings after a 2019 campaign that was littered with memorable highlights. The safety was a revelation alongside Harrison Smith at the backend which led to plenty of speculation surrounding his future before the organization decided to keep him around.
What’s happened this season has been less than impressive. Harris has looked like a shell of the player we saw turn out last year and his dismal performance against the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Day was further proof that he has already checked out.
Another team will probably give him money that Minnesota cannot afford in free agency this year. And that is absolutely fine by them.
Harris hasn’t lived up to the $11.44 million in base salary he made this season, to put it mildly. Playing on the franchise tag cannot be easy, but the simple fact of the matter is that the Vikings and the player need a fresh start.
It’s unlikely he’ll be missed. Safety is a position that should be one of Minnesota’s top priorities in the 2021 NFL Draft – especially considering Smith’s age and contract status. One only has to look at how well the cornerback duo of Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler has done of late to see the benefits of a youth movement.