Harrison Smith explains why he took pay cut to stay with Vikings

Yes, Harrison Smith definitely considered leaving the Vikings this offseason for Cincinnati or one of the other suitors believed to have had interest in the six-time Pro Bowl safety had the salary cap-strapped Vikings been forced to release him.

"I thought about it for sure," he said Tuesday. "It's human nature. I think about other things and other places. So, yeah."

But, in the end, however, Smith said, "it felt right to stay." Even when staying meant taking a pay cut from $14.7 million to $8 million with $2 million in incentives.

Smith said there wasn't one particular reason he stayed but did add that playing for and learning from new defensive coordinator Brian Flores was "honestly a big draw in staying here."

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell fired Ed Donatell, last year's defensive coordinator, after one season in which the defense played softer schemes than O'Connell, the players — and the fans — would have liked. With the offseason program starting this week and more players beginning to speak publicly, it's becoming clear that hiring the ultra-aggressive Flores was a popular move in the locker room.

"I like his mentality," Smith said. "I like, just the first few days, how he kind of relays information and how he thinks about things."

Smith excelled for eight seasons as former coach Mike Zimmer's most versatile defensive weapon and pre-snap tool of deception. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith blitzed at least 35 times a season under Zimmer and only 14 times last season.

Flores comes to Minnesota with an established record of pushing the limits on man coverage and zero-blitz packages.

"If some of those things are a part of what I do or what people do on the defense, then I have some familiarity with that in the past," Smith said.

So Smith, 34, enters his 12^th season with the team that drafted him. With Devin McCourty's retirement, Smith's 34 career interceptions are tied with former teammate Patrick Peterson for the most among active players.

Reportedly, one of these days, the Packers are expected to trade Aaron Rodgers to the Jets. What say you, Harrison?

"Yeah, that'll be weird, I guess," Smith said. "It's definitely, just being the Vikings and the [Brett] Favre history, kind of funny I guess where it could go."

So, Harrison, you think Aaron will pull a Brett and come to the Vikings in 2024? Do tell.

"Let's not take it that far," Smith said.

The opening of the offseason program is the beginning of a new-look defense that will be missing Eric Kendricks, a former All-Pro middle linebacker who led the team in tackles in seven of his eight seasons, including last year.

In his place steps a second-year pro, Brian Asamoah, who played only 11% of the defensive snaps a year ago but still managed to turn heads, particularly on special teams.

With Kendricks cut in a salary-cap move and now playing for the Chargers, Asamoah will line up next to fellow inside linebacker Jordan Hicks, a nine-year veteran, in the Vikings' 3-4 defense.

Hicks praised Kendricks' talent and instincts before turning his attention to Asamoah.

"He's one of the most explosive players I've been around in a linebacker room," Hicks said. "He's honing that into the detail and becoming the pro it takes to be an Eric Kendricks in this league. He's as fast as any linebacker I've been around. He's strong, he's naturally gifted, wants to be great. Has all the skill set."

Asamoah said he takes advantage of learning from the "old heads" on the team. That includes Hicks this year and Kendricks last year.

"Eric Kendricks is a great role model, a great leader," Asamoah said. "A guy I looked up to. I told him one time, he was on my wall when I was in high school. Just having him take me under his wing. I sat next to him in meetings and hung out with him outside of football."

Asamoah mentioned two other players he had on his wall as a kid: Hall of Famer Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis, a Hall of Fame finalist multiple times.