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I like Harris. I love interceptions. I think it's great to have a safety pair so highly ranked. AND - I bitched about Andrew Sendejo as the weak spot of our defense all the time he was here.
But...
Do you think our defense was significantly worse from 2015-17 with Sendejo starting instead of Harris? Do you think a safety next to Smith is worth +$10M per year? (Harris is valued at $13.8M by Spotrac FWIW.) Do you think we should spend that money on him instead of at OG, OT, DT, or CB?
I'll say a very clear "No" to all of the above. So unless Brzezinski can pull some magical deal where Harris costs the team less than $5M a year, I would sadly let him leave, and hold my nose and let Sendejo have the job (and spend a couple of day 3 picks on developmental safety prospects). Zimmer has repeatedly tried to convert college CBs like Jack Tochco and others to safety, so maybe he'll try Rhodes there.
The Zimmer defense depends on 1 do-it-all safety, Smith, and another guy who follows assignments. I personally felt that Sendejo blew it at times but never heard Zimmer call him out. He seems to be ok.
What the Zimmer defense does need are CBs, like 4-5 for any season, and that area is in trouble. Some, like my esteemed debate opponent FSUVike, have suggested we could fill the CB holes with a couple of veteran free agents. Well, I scanned the available UFA corners a bit, and think I have identified 2 who could be very good fits in the Zimmer system:
Quote:Mackensie Alexander
Trae Waynes
I know, Waynes hasn't lived up 11th-overall-pick expectations. But he was at least above-average from 2017-18. Alexander struggled his first 2 years here but has become a good nickel CB. And these guys both have a big credential: 4+ years each learning the Zimmer defense. Hasn't every corner, if not every defensive player, struggled to figure it out for their first couple years here? The system here isn't easy to learn, which makes Waynes and Alexander more valuable to the Vikings than any other team, and far more valuable than other FAs like Bradley Roby, who would probably have a bad first season here the way Captain Munnerlyn did.
Vikings might be able to sign both Waynes and Alexander for just a little more than Harris alone. Harris will get us a nice comp pick if he signs for a huge deal elsewhere. We might even bring him back in a couple years if it turns out he's not able to duplicate his 2019 season in, say, Cleveland.
There are big roster changes coming. I have no idea how much they will value what Ant Harris brings vs other team needs...
At face value, two high priced safeties seems like a luxury they shouldn't partake in. I dont know what the trade-offs are yet. Too many moving pieces.
Otoh, if another team comes in backing-up the Brinks truck for him? It dont think those questions will matter much.
I dont think it's a "very clear no," but it's worth a conversation. Teams don't typically have two safeties on their roster the caliber (and cost) of Harry and Harris.
Here's the problem. Safeties are becoming bigger parts of defenses, much bigger than they were just 10 years ago. And Waynes, because he's a corner, will get a big pay day. Much more than he's worth. I don't see the Vikings paying that. Maybe. If I had my preference, tho, I'd sign Alexander. A slot corner, he'll be the cheapest the three, but that's apparently what he's pissed about and wants to go somewhere where he'll be given a chance to be an outside corner.
I think it would be incredibly stupid to not re-sign Harris. He is a young player that we developed into a top 5 safety and should be a core player moving forward. Poorly managed teams let guys like that go to other teams... smart teams get rid of high-priced veterans that aren't living up to their contracts to make room for guys like this.
We are paying two WRs top dollars while attempting the third least amount of passes. That's fiscally irresponsible.
Quote: @"BarrNone55" said:
We are paying two WRs top dollars while attempting the third least amount of passes. That's fiscally irresponsible.
And getting ready to make that QB one of the highest paid in the league ( according to schefter ) it's like they are trying to give the impression that the threat of a dominant passing game will open up the run, but then why would we need a top dollar RB?
Quote: @JimmyinSD said:
@"BarrNone55" said:
We are paying two WRs top dollars while attempting the third least amount of passes. That's fiscally irresponsible.
And getting ready to make that QB one of the highest paid in the league ( according to schefter ) it's like they are trying to give the impression that the threat of a dominant passing game will open up the run, but then why would we need a top dollar RB?
Really? There is buzz they're going to extend KC?
Ant is a ball hawk and the Vikes haven't had many of those in the recent past. He treats the football like it's his.
If I had to make a tough choice, I'd pay him over Waynes or Rhodes. And while I'd hate to see Diggs play for anyone else, skill position receivers are far easier to replace than solid defensive players. There are lots of very good ones this draft.
While I think Ant is great, I think we’re already too
invested in our defense, and Safety is one spot where I don’t think we’d see
much dropoff from Ant to someone that costs much less. I think if we’re going to be investing so much
in another player on defense it should be at DT. If we’re going to be playing this soft zone
style, we really need to get better production from our front 4, and it really
seemed like we were depending a lot on our DEs and got very little production
from our DTs.
Quote: @Wetlander said:
I think it would be incredibly stupid to not re-sign Harris. He is a young player that we developed into a top 5 safety and should be a core player moving forward. Poorly managed teams let guys like that go to other teams... smart teams get rid of high-priced veterans that aren't living up to their contracts to make room for guys like this.
He's 28, barely a year younger than Rhodes, who people see as past his prime. Maybe he'll be effective until he's 35, safety is not CB...but since he didn't play much before 2018, I think people believe he's an under-25 kid.
I just think he's a luxury on this team, and he is not an elite athlete so reminds me of guys like Byron Maxwell, who look good on a good defense but not elsewhere. A team that gives him something like $50M for 4 years will look like one of the stupid ones in 2 years if they cut him to save cap space.
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