As the Vikings try to secure Harrison Smith for the long-term, the chief decision-makers left little doubt how much they like him.
Two weeks ago, Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said he thought the team would have safety Harrison Smith signed to an extension “pretty soon.”
That hasn’t happened just yet, but there is little doubt how much the Vikings value Smith. They traded back into the first round of the 2012 draft after selecting Matt Kalil No. 4 overall to draft Smith. The Vikings gave up their second- and fourth-round picks to get Smith 29th overall, and at the time Spielman laid out one reason that made a difference.