Harrison Smith Agrees to Pay Cut to Remain in Minnesota in 2024

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Vikings safety Harrison Smith has agreed to a restructured deal that will keep him in Minnesota for a 13th season in 2024, according to Tom Pelissero. He'll make $9 million this year, which is a notable step down from his previous cap hit of $19.2 million.
Six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith has agreed to a restructured contract and will play a 13th season with the #Vikings at age 35, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 13, 2024
The 29th overall pick in 2012, Smith has 34 career INTs, becoming one of the best safeties of his era… and he’s not done yet. pic.twitter.com/Wt1PjmlEzr
After last season, there was some thought that Smith might call it a career this offseason or potentially be released by the Vikings for cap savings. Instead, he's agreed to a restructured contract and pay cut to remain with the only NFL franchise he's ever known.
Smith was a first-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2012 who started every game as a rookie and hasn't looked back since. He's played in 183 games for the Vikings over the years (including playoffs), starting 182 of them. Smith made six Pro Bowls in a seven-year span from 2015-21 and was a first team All-Pro in 2017. Despite finishing without an interception last year for just the second time in his career, he still played at a fairly high level in Brian Flores' defense. His three sacks against the Panthers in Week 4 were key in that win.
Smith, who turned 35 in February, has 34 interceptions, 19.5 sacks, 86 passes defended, 12 forced fumbles, and over 1,000 tackles in his career. He's a franchise legend, a no-doubt future Vikings Ring of Honor inductee, and potentially a future Pro Football Hall of Famer. Another productive season or two could help his case to end up in Canton.
The Vikings are running it back with the same safety trio that was so successful last year: Smith, Josh Metellus, and Camryn Bynum.
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Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.
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