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          Source: Minnesota Vikings, safety Harrison Smith agree to 4-year, $64 million extension

          • Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 29, 2021, 06:43 PM
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              Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.

          EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings locked up their longest-tenured player to a contract extension, the team announced on Sunday.

          Veteran safety Harrison Smith agreed to a four-year, $64 million extension, a source told ESPN's Mike Golic Jr., which makes Smith the second-highest-paid safety in the NFL behind Seattle's Jamal Adams. The deal carries $26.38 million guaranteed and will pay Smith $22.5 million from now through March 2022, the source said.

          The Vikings did not disclose terms of the extension in their announcement.

          The deal is expected to keep Smith, 32, with the Vikings through the 2025 season. Smith was set to enter the final year of the extension he signed in 2016 and slated to make $10.232 million in the last year of his contract.

          The safety was a lone bright spot on a Vikings defense that struggled heavily in 2020. Smith led Minnesota in both interceptions (five) and pass deflections (10) to go with 89 total tackles. Smith's new deal presents him with an opportunity to remain in Minnesota for the remainder of his career.

          Drafted 29th overall in 2012, Smith ranks third in Vikings history in tackles among defensive backs with 867 and is the only player in franchise history with four career interception returns of more than 50 yards.

          "Obviously I've been here going on 10 [years] and would love to be here in the future," Smith said in June. "Going to look at those things and see what we can do."

          In his 130 career regular-season games (129 starts), the five-time Pro Bowler and 2017 first-team All-Pro safety has totaled 557 solo tackles, 66 passes defended and 28 interceptions, the most in the NFL among all safeties since he was drafted. Only Hall of Famer Paul Krause has started more games (150) at safety for the Vikings.

          Extension talks between the Vikings and Smith's representation had been in the works for a while before Sunday's agreement. Minnesota is also looking to check an additional box this offseason by getting right tackle Brian O'Neill under contract long-term in the coming weeks. O'Neill, the former second-round pick from Pitt, is entering his fourth season in Minnesota.