Packers hit with news they didn’t want to hear right ahead of regular season opener
Rival Minnesota Vikings brought back veteran safety Harrison Smith on a one-year deal.
The Green Bay Packers received some unwelcome news right before their regular season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. The NFC North rivals signed veteran safety Harrison Smith to a one-year, $12.25 million contract worth up to $16.25 million, bringing the 15th-year veteran back for one more season in Minnesota.
Smith’s return comes just days before the Packers and Vikings meet in Week 1, the first game of the 2026 NFL season for both sides. Minnesota had an obvious issue in the secondary, particularly at the safety position, where the projected starter was Theo Jackson. Smith changes that equation entirely, even at this stage of his career. Last year, for example, he allowed an 81.0 passer rating when targeted.
Harrison Smith brings talent to a position group that badly needed it
Harrison Smith is a player who knows the system under Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. He can be a versatile piece for that defense, and while he is no longer in his prime, he remains an upgrade over what Minnesota was expected to deploy against the Packers in Week 1.
Over the past few seasons, Green Bay has been relatively effective against the Vikings, especially with quarterback Jordan Love under center. Love is a player who has the tools and the playing style to exploit fragilities in Flores’ defensive philosophy because of his aggressiveness. But having a player like Smith in the back end of the defense will help Flores scheme around what the Packers want to do offensively.
There’s risk involved for both sides
The wrinkle here is that Smith did not practice during training camp. He was likely training on his own, and his experience means he does not necessarily need the ramp-up period to play at a reasonable level. That is especially true when considering how thin the Vikings’ safety situation was before his signing.
Smith never actually retired from football, so his return was always on the table for Minnesota. It is now materializing at the worst possible time for the Packers.
Green Bay is already dealing with adversity and uncertainty heading into the opener, particularly along the offensive line. The Packers do have skill position talent capable of stressing the Minnesota secondary, but Smith gives the Vikings a security blanket in the back end that makes things harder for Green Bay’s offense.
Looking ahead to Week 1
The NFC North rivalry between the Packers and Vikings already carried weight as the season opener, a matchup that will set the tone for both teams’ 2026 campaigns. Green Bay will need Jordan Love and its playmakers to be at their best against a Minnesota defense that just got significantly more experienced at the safety position.
