3 salary cap casualties for the Minnesota Vikings after the 2020 season
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Harrison Smith. player. S. . 1. 60
The Vikings have seen plenty of turnover in the secondary this offseason. The likes of Xavier Rhodes, Jayron Kearse, Andrew Sendejo, and Trae Waynes are all playing elsewhere in 2020 while Anthony Harris is on a franchise tag.
That leaves safety Harrison Smith as the only veteran in the secondary on a multi-year deal. He has a cap hit of $10.75 million in 2020 followed by one of $10.25 million in 2021. The notable part? His dead cap value drops all the way down to $0 in 2021.
Saving over $10 million seems like a no-brainer for the Vikings. Smith can even be put up in a trade as another team may want to trade for and immediately offer the five-time Pro Bowler an extension.
Moving on from Smith may be something that makes Vikings fans angry. However, his $0 dead cap stands out and a trade could help the secondary get younger with either current players or draft picks.
Next. 5 reasons Vikings can win with Kirk Cousins in 2020. dark
The Vikings made things difficult with the massive deal handed out to Cousins. A new deal for Cook all but ensures Smith will be among the tough moves that have to be made just to stay under the salary cap.