Why we should trade Harris

I would agree they don't want to pay big $ on a long term deal.   But Harris has a tough choice - the 11 mil if he signs the tag is guaranteed.   He'll get some guarantees in a long term deal but I don't know how much.   Meantime he has to go Leveon Bell and sit all year in a dispute with the team.   That is a tougher road than it sounds I think.  It also likely diminishes his contract value when he does sign a deal next year.   I'd say they'd cave and give him a deal but they are capped out and wanting to give $ to Cook and possibly other low tier f.a.'s to round out the roster, not to mention needing to pay upwards of 12 draftees and udfa's as well.   

and the plot thickens...

Everyone?  Check the record there good buddy!  I've consistently stated for months that I want to keep Harris.  I know you've read my posts, because we've had discussion about tag vs. extension.  I'll defer to our glorious hero Rick to decide the optimal approach.  He'll do the right thing!  

$5M per year FAs tend to be average to below average guys who are aging and subject to injury (ref: Kline).  There's a reason their previous team let them walk and a reason that the free market hasn't driven up their cost.  I don't want any.  I would rather use those roster spots to keep more rookies and rookie contract players to give them a chance to develop.  I would much rather have Harris than two of those guys.  He's ours for $11M for one year and I'm happy with that.  If he'll sign an extension that averages less than that per year (in return for slightly increased guaranteed money), I'll take that too.  Harris is set to triple his career earnings under the tag.  He has no choice but to play for that unless we trade him or offer an extension.  Nobody whose net worth is $5M will sit idle for a year at the cost of $11M just to "negotiate."     Especially if their career is expected to last less than five more years.

It might be better to just take a 3rd for him in that case because:
a) it will be a higher pick than a third round comp
b) not guaranteed to get a 3rd round comp back
c) might be offset by some other f.a. signing like Pierce

Not sure how likely b and c are but you never know.   The comp formula is not public and while people make decent educated guesses about it they aren't always correct.

Personally if he's a great as Viking fans seem to think right now I'd ask for a 1st rounder but the rumor is they wanted a 2nd.   Other than money I don't know why they'd want to deal him away and I have to assume it's because they want cap room to sign Dalvin to some huge deal which isn't a smart move imo.

If we let him walk next year we would get a compensatory pick, same as this year.  How are you going to take the $8M we save by cutting Reiff to upgrade Oline?  Who out there is better than Reiff at that price?  Trading Harris and cutting Reiff will free up $19M in cap space.  I would really like to understand who these two street free agents are that will cost less than $10M per year each and be upgrades over Reiff and Harris.  That's an average LT and a top safety.  I'm sick of the overpriced Boone type patches.

suh is going back to tampa