With all the turnover the Vikings have had in the secondary, it helps to have some continuity.
That continuity comes in the form of Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris, the latter of whom signed his franchise tender, he announced on Twitter Sunday.
Yes, it would help to have Harris back for the long term, but if his Twitter post was any indication, at least Harris is excited to be back with the team for the short term.
If I had to predict, I would say the Vikings will lean on Harris and Smith in pass coverage, more so than they have in past years. That might mean Smith blitzing less, and having those two align deep in center field a little more often.
Minnesota lost two starters out wide — Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes. It also saw Mackensie Alexander, the team’s nickel corner, sign elsewhere. All that adds up to relatively new faces filling in on the secondary.
Those new players — such as Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler — and some relatively new ones, like Mike Hughes and Holton Hill, will have to try to adjust to a role in the NFL they have yet to experience.
The Vikings, especially early, will have some growing pains at corner, so the team will have to hide that position on the defense. Harris having a similar year to what he did in 2019, where he had six interceptions, is crucial for the defense to not fall off.
Rhodes and Waynes were not shutdown corners in 2019, but the players replacing them could very well be a downgrade, especially when it comes to Waynes. Hopefully, now that Harris is secured with the Vikings for the time being, the Minnesota defense plays at a level that fans have grown accustomed to seeing.
