There isn't a head in Minnesota that hasn't been scratched with so many questions surrounding what's going on with safety Harrison Smith.
The Vikings had Smith back active in their Week 3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals after he returned for personal reasons. It was a quiet return as Smith only played 22 snaps and made one pass deflection.
Many thought the workload would increase for Smith once the team flew overseas to Dublin to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4. His snap count actually dropped to 17, but he made the most of his reps on the field with three tackles in the loss.
Once everyone noticed the snap count of Smith compared to that of the other safeties, Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson, questions began to arise as to why Smith isn't playing more. Most people expected a transitional period, but this felt different, and fans wanted a clear answer to this.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores feeling the heat from all angles on Harrison Smith's playing time
While speaking with the media on Thursday, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores addressed the concerns regarding Smith's playing time. At one point, Flores revealed that he has even been getting the same questions from members of his household.
"Brian Flores said today [Thursday] that even his sons have been asking him why Harrison Smith hasn't played more snaps. Like Smith and Kevin O'Connell, Flores explained that there is a pre-discussed ramp-up underway after Smith missed the majority of training camp."
It sounds like this has been part of the plan all along. The interesting part will be whether Smith will find himself in the starting lineup or be a role player.
Jackson and Metellus have both performed well this season as the starting safeties. Pro Football Focus has ranked Jackson in the top 30 graded safeties in the NFL among 125 qualified players at the position. He's racked up 15 tackles, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery this season.
Metellus has been locked in as the future at safety after signing his contract extension with the team in the offseason. So far through four games, he's lived up to that extension with 23 tackles, two pass deflections, and one interception.
Expect more snaps to be coming Smith's way as the team continues to ramp him up to get back into football shape. It leaves many to wonder when it might be the start of the end for Smith in the NFL.