Vikings takeaway No. 4
A veteran proves he still has a lot in the tank.
Harrison Smith is 34 years old and toward the end of his career, but the veteran Minnesota Vikings safety had a huge day on Sunday that should have made even the most skeptical fans realize that he still plays at an exceptionally high level,
Smith led the team in tackles on the day, taking down 14 Panthers ball-carriers and eight of those were solo efforts. He also led the team in sacks, getting to Bryce Hall three times, showing how valuable he is to the defense.
He and Camryn Bynum combined for 26 of Minnesota's 91 total tackles. Normally, it's not a great thing if your safeties have so many tackles, but both Bynum and Smith were used in creative ways that put them all over the field.
It will be quite interesting to see what the Minnesota Vikings do with Harrison Smith after this season. Although he isn't scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2025 season, his big salary cap hits in those final two years make the reality of him playing out that contract highly questionable.