Jesse Reed
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith has signed five-year extension, the franchise announced Monday morning.
The former Notre Dame standout agreed to a deal worth $51.25 million, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The deal includes a $10 million signing bonus and averages $10.75 million per season, which makes Smith the second-highest-paid safety in the NFL, right behind Kansas City’s Eric Berry (Spotrac.com).
Smith, who lines up all over the field for the Vikings, tallied 87 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, two interceptions and two passes defended last year. He also made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, likely the first of many selections.
The Vikings featured the No. 13-ranked overall defense last year and were No. 5 in points scored against. Smith is a big reason for this team’s success, and he will be a featured playmaker for Mike Zimmer’s defense for years to come.
