If history (ok, last year) is any indication, Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith will decide his future very soon. The team probably knows what that decision will be, and the reshaped front office is making plans for free agency based on that knowledge.
Walking down the path of who could replace Smith in the Vikings' secondary, whenever that will happen, can lead to free agency, a trade, or the draft. Someone may be drafted this year, with an eye on 2027 and beyond if Smith decides to come back for what would likely be his final season.
In the vein of replacing Smith immediately, and for a few years to come, there are some interesting free agent options, and a case can be made for some of them as a target for the Vikings.
The prerequisites to play safety in Brian Flores' defense are clear. An ideal fit must be willing and able to cover like a cornerback and also blitz and hit like a linebacker while lining up all over the formation. A high level of football IQ is also mandatory. If one of those physical skills is lacking, Flores will still find a way to get the best from you.
An analyst has unveiled an ideal replacement for Harrison Smith if the Minnesota Vikings have to go that route
Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus recently tabbed the best landing spot for the site's top -five free agent safeties this year.
The Vikings were named the most ideal landing spot for PFF's highest-ranked free agent safety, Bryan Cook.
"Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme profiles as the perfect fit for a safety acquainted with another scheme that also deploys unique blitz packages in Steve Spagnuolo’s Chiefs defense.
"There are nuances to playing solid coverage behind an aggressive defensive front, and Bryan Cook showed he is well-equipped to handle the role this past season, earning an 80.3 PFF coverage grade when the defense blitzes."
"Grading out above the 90th percentile as both a safety and in the slot, Cook also possesses the versatility to be a central piece that allows Flores’ scheme to shine. His skill set is in a similar vein to that of the longtime veteran leader of the Vikings' defense, and impending free agent, Harrison Smith. "Â
According to PFF, Cook had just one pass rush snap last season, compared to Smith's 44 and 10.2 percent rate when rushing the passer on passing plays. But that could be an unharvested part of Cook's game, and if so, Flores will surely attempt to cultivate it.
What Cook undoubtedly can do is cover and get after it in the run game. He has become a very reliable tackler since registering a 12.5 percent missed tackle rate in 2023. He looks to be as close to a Smith clone as can be found in free agency, and the Chiefs are going to have a hard time matching what he could get on the open market.
The Vikings have their own concerns in terms of salary cap and what they can spend, but there are paths to creating the room to hit PFF's current three-year, $36 million contract projection for Cook. And if Flores wants someone for his defense, it has been established that every effort will be made to get it for him.