The Minnesota Vikings have the best safety in the NFL

We know that the Minnesota Vikings have one of the best safeties in the National Football League in Harrison Smith. Frankly, we’ve been arguing for a number of seasons now that Smith is the best safety in the National Football League, despite the fact that he doesn’t get the sort of love from a lot of places that a player of his caliber should.

Through the first ten games of this Minnesota Vikings season, the folks from Pro Football Focus have finally decided that the Vikings do, in fact, have the best safety in the National Football League.

But it’s not Harrison Smith.

Yes, coming off of his two-interception performance in the Vikings’ loss on Sunday Night Football against the Chicago Bears, safety Anthony Harris has jumped up the PFF rankings and is now the best safety in the entire National Football League.

As if that wasn’t high enough praise, here’s another look at just how good Harris’ PFF grade is:

Now, I know that Harris hasn’t been a starter at safety for the Vikings for the majority of this season. Andrew Sendejo started at safety for the first five games, but Harris has started in three of the five games that Sendejo has missed, and has seen plenty of action in the Vikings’ “big nickel” package that features three safety.

We talked at length last week if the Vikings need to look more closely at possibly extending Harris’ contract, as he’s a free agent at the end of this season. Honestly, at this point, I think that Harris needs to be the starter at safety next to Smith even after Sendejo gets healthy enough to return. With the Vikings taking a minimal hit if they should let Sendejo go next season, and given that Sendejo is currently the oldest player on the Vikings’ roster, I think the odds of Harris taking that spot next season. . .and the Vikings inking him to a deal in the offseason (if not sooner). . .are getting better and better each week.