The Vikings saw S Anthony Harris already depart this offseason. Harris and Harrison Smith made for a menacing safety duo on the Minnesota defense.
Now, Minnesota needs safety depth. Will Parks, who played for the Broncos and the Eagles in 2020, is an option.
As reported by Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, the Vikings have been in contact with Parks. Although, as Goessling pointed out, Minnesota is right up against the 2021 salary cap at the moment.
There are several things the team can do to change its salary cap situation, though. The Vikings restructuring with Anthony Barr is not official as of now, but that’s an option. There’s also a possibility that the team could extend Harrison Smith, lowering his cap hit on 2021.
The Vikings need a starter at safety and I’m not so sure that’s Parks. He had a PFF grade of 57.5 in 10 games played with the Broncos and Eagles this past season. He didn’t fare much better when he played 14 games with the Broncos in 2019, tallying a PFF grade of 57.7.
However, he could be solid depth for a Vikings team that is replacing a starter at safety. For Parks, a reserve role on Minnesota could give Smith and the other starting safety more of a break in 2021. He might not be the only player to fill the void left by Harris, but he’s a start.
