Vikings Safety Anthony Harris Signs Franchise Tender
Vikings safety Anthony Harris has signed the franchise tender and will officially be back in Minnesota for the 2020 season, he announced on social media Sunday afternoon. The deal pays him $11.44 million this season, and he will hit free agency again in 2021 unless the team signs him to a long-term extension before July 15.
"During the past five years, Minnesota has become home and is where I want to continue to develop as a player having only scratched the surface," Harris said in a statement he released on Twitter and Instagram. "I will let my agents and the Vikings work towards long term certainty in Minnesota, but I am excited to be back for the 2020 season."
Harris led all players in the NFL last season with seven interceptions across the regular season and playoffs, and was graded as the top safety in the league by Pro Football Focus. It was an incredible breakout season for a player who went undrafted out of Virginia in 2015.
Harris hit free agency this offseason, and for a while it seemed like the Vikings were preparing to let him walk. Then they made the surprising move to utilize the franchise tag for just the third time in team history, keeping Harris around for the time being. There were reports that they were still open to trading him, but a deal never materialized. Since then, the two sides have been engaged in talks toward a long-term extension. Those talks will continue going forward until the July 15th deadline.
"I am excited for the new challenges the 2020 season will bring, but I am most excited for the opportunity to help bring a Super Bowl to Minnesota and the best fans in the country," Harris said.
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