Minnesota Vikings Will Officially Be Without a Key Playmaker in Week 1
The Minnesota Vikings will officially be without one of their key playmakers in Week 1.
The Vikings are set to travel to Chicago and take on the Bears in a crucial divisional matchup to begin the season, but according to the latest updates from the team, safety Harrison Smith will not be on the field for that game.
Harrison Smith Will Not Play for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1
The Minnesota Vikings posted the update on X Sunday afternoon, writing, “S Harrison Smith (illness) has been downgraded to out and will not travel with the team.”
The 36-year-old safety has been battling the illness for nearly a month at this point, and while head coach Kevin O’Connell said Smith was able to be a limited participant in practice on Saturday, it seems he simply has not been able to get healthy enough to be available for the Vikings on Monday night.
Last season, Smith played 16 games for the Vikings, and the six-time Pro Bowler was a key part of Minnesota’s defense. He totaled 87 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack. 10 passes defended and three interceptions.
With the Hit Man officially out of the lineup, there will be added pressure to the depth of Minnesota’s secondary that was already going to be tested against a talented Bears pass catching group that includes D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze along with rookies Luther Burden and Colston Loveland.
It will also be interesting to see if Brian Flores opts to continue utilizing the three-safety defensive sets that he has been known for throughout his tenure as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator. If he does, that means Theo Jackson and Jay Ward, Minnesota’s only safeties behind Josh Metellus on the depth chart, will see extensive playing time on Monday night.
Neither player has seen a ton of time on defense throughout their early NFL careers, largely being known for their contributions on special teams. During 2024, Jackson played 78 defensive snaps, and Ward was on the field for 28 snaps with the Vikings defense.
Smith’s absence also means Metellus likely will have to play more of a traditional safety role on Monday rather than being the rover defensive player who lines up all over the field. It will be interesting to see how that role suits him.
Ultimately, 2025 marks Smith’s 14th season in the NFL, but he will have to wait at least one more week to make his season debut.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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