A Goodbye to Harrison Smith, Perhaps

In Harrison Smith, the Vikings have had the luxury of leaning on a historically-great safety. He’s an unusually versatile, hard-working player who thinks the game at a high level. DC Brian Flores, himself a sophisticated football mind with a unique penchant for versatile football, appears to enjoy working alongside #22.

Seemingly everybody is asking whether the Smith/Vikings relationship continues. Few are asking if it should. Surely, part of the internal deliberations for Smith himself rests in being able to do his job at a high level.

The Vikings’ coaching staff has been united in their consistency in desiring a Smith return. If the player wants to come back, the team wants him to come back. So, too, have the players expressed a desire to see him play another season. Why wouldn’t they? He’s well-liked in the locker room and still capable of playing sturdy football even if he’s not the 2017 All Pro version of himself.

Is there nevertheless a point coming up where Minnesota decides to move on without Smith?

Safety Harrison Smith & The Possibilities in 2026

There are three deadlines to monitor for Harrison Smith’s return: the beginning of training camp, the beginning of the 2026 regular season, and the in-season trade deadline. Each of these could be understood as soft deadlines so long as Smith doesn’t retire first.

Many thought that Smith would have already decided by now, myself among them. Throughout his career, the safety has opted for his own unique path, so doing things in his own way isn’t much of a surprise.

A quick rationale for each of the proposed soft deadlines:

1. Training camp is the natural on-ramp for the season.
2. The start of the season is when real football gets going.
3. The trade deadline is often when contending teams add talent.

That third option is a sneaky one to note.

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No, I don’t believe that Smith will sign elsewhere before being a trade target by Minnesota. Rather, the trade deadline is a normal time when teams assess their trajectory and outlook, leading to a desire to add or sell.

On Smith’s end of things, coming back around that time — or possibly during the Week 6 bye — would be enough time to see if the Vikings have a chance at doing something special.

In the uncertainty, do the Vikings simply need to move on from Harrison Smith? The question is worth asking.

In most instances, teams are keen to not focus on players who aren’t on the team. Smith, however, is unique. The career-long Viking will end his NFL career as a Viking. Whether that’s after having played another full season or not, Smith is going to go out having worn purple from start to finish before he sees his jersey number retired at U.S. Bank Stadium.

In the meantime, the Vikings will be rallying around Josh Metellus, the obvious heir to Harrison Smith’s throne. Metellus is a hard-working, smart, and vocal leader who can do much of what Smith could do. Not elite, Metellus is nevertheless a very good football player.

Otherwise, the safety position boasts Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Jakobe Thomas, Tavierre Thomas, and several other depth options. There’s enough talent there to play sturdy football, especially if Mr. Metellus bounces back after struggling with injury in 2025.

Last season, Smith had 54 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 quarterback hits, 2 interceptions, and 10 passes defended. He turns 38 in February of 2027.

If the voters have any wisdom at all, then those in power at the Hall of Fame will someday ensure Harrison Smith gets a spot.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.