Minnesota Vikings made a crucial decision on Harrison Smith, and it keeps things open moving forward

It was a decision that had to be made.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) is interviewed by Dianna Russini after the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) is interviewed by Dianna Russini after the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

One of the biggest decisions the Minnesota Vikings had to make this offseason was with the future of safety Harrison Smith.

He has spent the last few years determining if he wants to continue moving forward. It’s understandable for the 29th overall pick from the 2012 NFL Draft. He’s also been one of the best safeties in the NFL during his career.

Because of his inconsistent outlook from year-to-year, the Vikings have been doing that yearly with his contract.

Vikings cut Harrison Smith in a procedural move

With the deadline of Friday, March 13, coming up, the Vikings needed to make a decision on Smith. They did so with the start of the NFL league year by designating him a post-June 1 cut. They had to do it due to the dummy year built into the contract, along with a major trigger set to happen on the 13th.

Making this move is important for the salary cap, as the Vikings will take just a $3 million cap hit with $7.6 million set to defer until 2027. This is important to note with Smith’s contract, as they had to do something. It also means that Smith can return without any issues.

Whatever Smith returns at, they can give him that with just a $3 million salary cap hit this upcoming season. Since 2022, Smith has had some interesting salary cap hits.

  • 2022: $7.407,058
  • 2023: $11,915,882
  • 2024: $7,315,882
  • 2025: $9,901,178

With this now in the rearview mirror, the Vikings don’t have to pressure Smith. They can take their time to agree on a deal without having this hovering over their heads.

Will Smith return? We don’t know for sure. However, they will be ready whenever that decision is made.

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