Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Harrison Smith is still in the mix, or at least still in the conversation.
According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, O’Connell said he has spoken with the veteran safety as recently as this week. He also said he would have more to share only if there was actually something new to report, which leaves Smith’s situation looking much the same as it has been.
Smith has not shut the door on playing in 2026, but he has also not made a final decision either.
O’Connell addressed the topic earlier this month and made clear that the team has stayed in contact. “I would just say I spoke to him recently, just like I always do, and we had a great conversation,” O’Connell said, via Eduardo Razo of Yahoo Sports.
“Nothing has really changed. But there was never an expectation, at least on my end or our end.
I believe that now would be the time we would really dive into that, and we’ll continue to have dialogue with him and keep you guys updated if there were to be anything come about with that.”
Smith, 37, has been a Viking since Minnesota took him in the first round in 2012 out of Notre Dame. He was heading into the final year of a six-year, $56.53 million deal that carried $28.578 million guaranteed and a $9.85 million base salary in 2021 before signing a four-year, $64 million extension with the team.
He has also returned to Minnesota on one-year deals over each of the past two seasons.
In 2025, Smith played 15 games and put up 54 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one recovery, two interceptions and 10 pass deflections.
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