Star Tribune Vikings beat reporter: ‘Harris might be a luxury they can’t afford’

Safety Anthony Harris is coming off a stellar 2019-20, but if you’re the Vikings that can make it tough to re-sign him.

The safety had six interceptions, tied for a league-high, and he is now entering free agency. The Vikings are strapped for cash, and Harris could command a high price, so will Minnesota be able to retain him?

Ben Goessling, who covers the Vikings for the Star Tribune, thinks the team might not be able to re-sign Harris.

“When you’re in as tight a cap situation as the Vikings — who have more than $199 million of cap charges on their 2020 books, before any moves — Harris might be a luxury they can’t afford,” Goessling said in a recent article.

In addition to Harris being hard to re-sign, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said at the NFL Combine: “If you put up the positions most important on defense, it’s probably not going to be safety,” when talking about Harris.

Mike Zimmer on #Vikings UFA Anthony Harris, who tied NFL lead with six INTs in reg season:

"I love Anthony. If he doesn't come back, I think he's earned everything he's got, but if you put up the positions most important on defense it's probably not going to be safety."

— Andrew Krammer (@Andrew_Krammer) February 26, 2020