Anthony Harris Will Play The 2020 Season on the Franchise Tag

Vikings safety Anthony Harris will play the 2020 season on the $11.44 million franchise tag. He and the team did not work out a long-term extension prior to the 3 p.m. central time deadline today.

NFL Network's Ian Rapaport and Tom Pelissero were the first to report that Harris wouldn't be getting a new contract.

The #Vikings and star S Anthony Harris are not expected to reach a deal prior to the franchise tag deadline, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. Franchise tag deals have been scarce, and this is another example. He’ll play on the tag that is already signed.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 15, 2020

This is unsurprising, given the lack of noise about a potential Harris extension recently. With these unique financial circumstances, teams appear to be weary about signing tagged players to long-term deals. Of the 15 players who were franchise tagged in March, only two – Chiefs DT Chris Jones and Titans RB Derrick Henry – received extensions ahead of today's deadline.

This news means that Harris isn't guaranteed to be in Minnesota in 2021 or beyond. The Vikings will have to wait until after Week 17 of the upcoming season to resume talks about a potential contract extension.

Harris officially signed the franchise tender in mid-May. "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," he said. "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."

That an extension never came isn't an ideal outcome for Harris. After a breakout season in which he led the NFL in interceptions and was PFF's highest-graded safety, the 28 year-old was looking forward to a major payday in free agency. Instead, the Vikings applied the franchise tag for just the third time in franchise history. Now, Harris will have to wait another year for a long-term deal, and a potential injury in 2020 could significantly impact his future earnings.

The Vikings engaged in trade talks regarding Harris with multiple teams, including the Browns and Giants, but nothing ever materialized.

The Vikings might now turn their attention to getting a deal done with running back Dalvin Cook – who is currently holding out from all team activities – ahead of the upcoming season.

Check out all of our Vikings 2020 season preview content right here.

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