Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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As the Vikings look to be conduits of change, their on-field pursuits also persist.
Harris and Smith, entering their sixth and ninth seasons, respectively, are part of a group of defensive vets that also includes defensive linemen Danielle Hunter and Shamar Stephen and linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks.
In the wake of a shortened offseason program and headed into a 2020 campaign not without uncertainty, the pair of experienced safeties will be looked to even more to help lead a Vikings secondary full of fresh faces.
Having started his own NFL journey sidelined by injury and unable to do on-field work out of the gate, Harris has looked to share personal experience and provide direction, especially throughout the virtual offseason program.
"Mainly to some of the young guys coming up and just trying to make that adjustment from college to the NFL in the football scheme of things, being able to pick up all the information and prepare for a new level of football, I think it was important for me to really speak up," Harris explained. "It was trying to be there to support them mentally – because that's going to be the biggest adjustment."
He later added the importance of being as well-prepared as possible, a mentality he's maintained since his rookie year.
"[I think our identity] is not letting up and not really taking a step back," Harris said. "We have to take whatever challenges [in stride and be] ready to go."
Minnesota's defense has remained largely intact under Zimmer, but veteran defensive end Everson Griffen, a trio of cornerbacks – Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes and Mackensie Alexander – and others departed this spring.
Smith pointed out that while the Vikings over the past several seasons have been fortunate to maintain a core group defensively, the more typical trend is significant turnover.
"I think we're ingrained to go through that as players, especially as leaders who are looked at to get things right on a defense," Smith said. "I think that's stuff that we kind of embrace. We'll see as it goes what that looks like. Because not only do we have a bunch of new faces compared to normal for the Vikings, but the environment that we're in right now and what's going on around the world, that adds another factor that everyone else is dealing with.
"I think we're built for it," he added.