Harrison Smith’s place in the Vikings’ defense has become one of the quieter problems in Minnesota, and it’s hard to ignore anymore.
The veteran safety is now in his 15th season with the Purple and Gold, and he remains a beloved figure around U.S. Bank Stadium. Fans still show up in his No. 22 jersey, and the news that Smith would return for the 2026 NFL season was supposed to mean one more year of the hard-hitting, disruptive version of a future Vikings Ring of Honor player.
That hasn’t been the story so far this season.
Smith has rarely been on the field, and when he has played, he hasn’t looked like the same defender who built his reputation over the years. He has appeared in less than half of Minnesota’s defensive snaps, logging 140 of a possible 295. Through the Vikings’ first five games, he hasn’t started once.
The reduced role itself isn’t the issue. In Brian Flores’ defense, that can be managed.
The bigger concern is what Smith is doing with the snaps he does get. His Pro Football Focus grade sits at 31.5, which ranks him last among 98 qualifying safeties.
In pass coverage, the number is even harsher: a 33.5 grade that trails all but one qualifying safety this season.
Through five games, Smith has seven combined tackles, three pass defenses and a quarterback hit.
The more complicated part of Minnesota’s safety picture is that the player absorbing Smith’s reps, Josh Metellus, has not exactly steadied things. Metellus has played every defensive snap for the Vikings this season, but his own PFF grade is 40.2, which places him 93rd among 98 safeties. His 33.4 coverage grade and the 145.8 passer rating he has allowed paint the same uncomfortable picture.
For now, the Vikings have been able to keep those issues from fully boiling over. But that kind of masking act does not last forever. At some point, an offense is going to find the weak spot and attack it.
As painful as it is to say, Minnesota needs better play from Smith if it wants to stay in the contender conversation this year.
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