Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.


Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.


Will the Vikings pursue ex-Packer Harris?

Posted by: under Vikings, NFC, Packers, Antoine Winfield Updated: November 8, 2010 - 11:59 AM
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Ever since Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee and ESPN Madison broke the story that the Packers were going to release cornerback Al Harris -- a move the team has now announced -- I've been getting messages on Twitter asking about the Vikings pursuing the veteran.

Harris' comments are going to do nothing to calm the speculation that he could wind up in Minnesota. Asked by Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel if he thought an NFC North team would pursue him, Harris said: "Yeah, I do. I probably can't say who." 

Harris will go on waivers this afternoon and any team that  would claim him would take on his $2.5 million base salary, according to the Journal Sentinel. (The team with the worst record that claimed Harris would get him.)  If he isn't claimed, the 35-year-old Harris will be a free agent.

Harris tore up his left knee last season and began this year on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He had started practicing and the Packers had until today to activate him, end his season or let him go.
 
So would the Vikings take a look at Harris? They almost certainly would want to get him in for a physical before doing anything. The Vikings already have two veteran backup corners in Lito Sheppard and Frank Walker, who are both 29. Antoine Winfield (33) and Asher Allen (22) have been starting at the left and right corner, respectively, with rookie Chris Cook (23) seeing time in the nickel.
 
The question is would Harris be an upgrade on either Sheppard or Walker?
 
Harris sounds confident that he still has something left. Evidently, the Packers did not agree. "I guess they feel I'm not good enough to play on their team," Harris told the Journal Sentinel. "That was shocking. They really caught me off guard with this one."
 
 
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