Vikings Trade Request for Star Safety Anthony Harris is Way Low
By Michael Luciano
The Minnesota Vikings decided to slap the franchise tag on safety Anthony Harris to prevent him from testing the free agent market, but that doesn't mean he's a lock to return to the North Star State next season.
The Vikings decided to tag Harris, but they still are pursuing a potential trade. Rick Spielman is bizarrely asking for just a mid or late-round pick in the upcoming draft in exchange for Harris.
The #Vikings surprisingly applied the franchise tag to safety Anthony Harris but acknowledged to teams that Harris could be had for a mid-to-late round draft pick, source said. A potential tag and trade candidate.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020
Harris, who was graded as the best safety in the entire NFL last season by PFF, made the most of his first season as a starter, intercepting a league-best six passes and making 60 tackles.
A former undrafted free agent our of Virginia, Harris won the favor of head coach Mike Zimmer due to his freaky range in zone coverage. Harris and Harrison Smith are one of the best safety tandems in the entire game, and breaking them up for the most minor of draft compensation is a really puzzling decision.
Anthony Harris was the most valuable player on the #Vikings after Cousins in 2019.
— PFF MIN Vikings (@PFF_Vikings) March 16, 2020
His 94.3 coverage grade over the last 2 seasons is the best among safeties in that span.
He is an Elite Safety. https://t.co/DMtIlLnjOx
Minnesota clearly doesn't understand the type of player that Harris is if they think a mid-round pick that will likely be used on a backup is an adequate return for him in a trade. If a fourth-rounder can net a team one of the best safeties in the entire game, someone is about to get very lucky.