The Minnesota Vikings are bringing back safety Harrison Smith on a restructured contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Harrison Smith's deal is worth $8 million for this season, with up to $2 million in incentives, according to Ben Goessling of Star Tribune. He had multiple opportunities to go elsewhere, but decided to stay with the Vikings. The restructure should save the Vikings $6.7 million in cap space for 2023 before incentives, according to Goessling.
Smith is the longest-tenured Viking. He has been with the team since 2012, and that tenure will continue for at least one more season.
It was not a good season for the Vikings defense in 2022. They gave up 266.9 passing yards per game, which ranked second worst in the NFL, only better than the Tennessee Titans, according to teamrankings.com. The Vikings were better against the run than against the pass, but still ranked 21st-best in the league, giving up 124.2 rushing yards per game.
The Vikings' subpar performance on defense led to the firing of defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. He was replaced by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
The Vikings hope is that replacing Ed Donatell with Brian Flores can improve the performance of the defense. Rock bottom for the unit was arguably the Wild Card playoff game against the New York Giants. Donatell's defense allowed Daniel Jones to complete 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. The Giants scored 31 points that day, eliminating the Vikings in a 31-24 loss.
Harrison Smith has been a valued member of the Vikings over his tenure, and he hope to continue contributing to the team in his 12th season.
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