With Mike Zimmer saying weeks ago that safety wasn’t a priority position, it was immediately interesting when the Vikings used the franchise tag on safety Anthony Harris yesterday.
And it appears that was just to provide some short-term insurance.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Vikings have put out word that Harris is available “for a mid-to-late-round pick.”
The 28-year-old Harris, who ranked 15th on PFT’s Top 100 Free Agent list, would obviously have value to many teams, and if he had just left in free agency, he’d have brought back a reasonably high compensatory pick next year.
So if the Vikings are willing to take a late pick like a sixth- or seventh-rounder now, they might have been better off letting Harris walk. and just waiting until 2021 for a better pick. They run the risk of Harris immediately signing the $11.4 million tender, but it seems clear they’re ready to move him.