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By Jordan Sigler
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The Minnesota Vikings are still looking for safety help despite spending considerable resources on the position this offseason.
The Vikings selected Jakobe Thomas in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. On July 27, Minnesota signed three-time All-Pro safety/linebacker Jamal Adams.
Minnesota needed to add help at safety amid uncertainty about Harrison Smith's future with the team. Smith, who has spent his entire career with the Vikings since he was drafted in the first round of the 2012 draft, has not decided whether he wants to return for the 2026 season or retire.
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Per Ben Solak of ESPN, Minnesota has not shut the door on bringing back Smith, and are hoping he will return before the regular season.
"There's no way to replace safety Harrison Smith," Solak wrote. "The 29th pick in the 2012 NFL draft, Smith was a lifelong Viking and verifiable coach on the field in his last days in the Flores defense. That's if he retires. It isn't formalized yet, and the Vikings are hoping he returns despite drafting safety Jakobe Thomas in the third round."
Smith, 37, recorded 54 tackles, one sack, 10 passes defensed, two interceptions and one forced fumble last season. The Vikings are having a hard time finding someone on the roster to replace the All-Pro in a system that plans to utilize a three-safety package.
"While I was at camp, Thomas was not yet taking many first-team reps, but that's understandable, given how complex this defense is," Solak wrote. "But the Vikings want to have three-safety packages with Joshua Metellus and some combination of Thomas, Jay Ward and Theo Jackson. Maybe Jamal Adams gets a foothold, too.
"My sense in watching practice and speaking to folks on the ground is there's no one winning idea for how to replace Smith just yet."
Adams, who's listed as a linebacker on the Vikings' website, would be a natural fit to move to safety in three-safety packages. Eventually, Thomas will earn more responsibility on the defense.
Until then, the Vikings' best hope at safety is Smith signs so there's no replacement at all.
For more on the Vikings and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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